CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES

After School Clubs

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what percentage of parents used  (a) after school clubs and  (b) extended school provision in each of the last four years.

Beverley Hughes: Information is not collected centrally on the number and percentage of parents who use after school clubs or any elements of the extended school provision.

Children: Day Care

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many  (a) public and  (b) private sector child care places there are in (i) Leeds Metropolitan District and (ii) Leeds West constituency.

Beverley Hughes: The information is not available in the form requested.
	Since 2003 Ofsted has been responsible for the registration and inspection of child care providers. The table shows the number of places registered with Ofsted at 31 March 2008 for Leeds local authority.
	
		
			  Number of registered child care places in Leeds, position as at 31 March 2008-06-06 
			   Childminders  Full day care  Out of school day care 
			 Places 4,900 8,500 5,300 
			  Notes: 1 Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 if under 100, and to the nearest 100 if over 100. 2. Excludes the number of child care places in sessional day care and crèche day care.  Source: Ofsted 
		
	
	Data from the 2006 Childcare and Early Years Providers Survey on the number and proportion of child care providers in England by type of ownership are only available at national level.

Children: Day Care

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of the level of provision of formal childcare during school holidays in each of the last four years.

Beverley Hughes: Information is not available in the form requested.
	The estimated number of childcare providers in operation, from the Childcare and Early Years Providers Survey, is shown in Table 1.
	
		
			  Table 1: Numbers of childcare providers 
			   2003  2005  2006 
			 Full day care 9,964 11.811 12,694 
			 Full day care in children's centres n/a n/a 823 
			 Sessional 11,892 9,966 9,681 
			 After school clubs 4,534 n/a 7,656 
			 Holiday clubs 2/781 n/a 6,386 
			 Childminders n/a 57,662 57,855 
			 n/a = Not available.   Notes:  1.  Children's centres were included in the survey for the first time in 2006; therefore data are not available for previous years.  2. After school and holiday clubs were sampled differently in 2005 and comparable figures for this year are not available. 
		
	
	There were 6,386 holiday clubs in 2006, an increase of 130 from the corresponding number of 2,781 in 2003. Other types of childcare providers were asked whether they were also open in school holidays. Table 2 shows the proportion of childcare providers who said that they were open in holidays, for each year available.
	
		
			  Table 2: Proportion of childcare providers open during school holidays 
			   2003 (%)  2005 (%)  2006 (%) 
			 Full day care n/a 79 72% 
			 Children's centres n/a n/a 96 
			 Sessional n/a 8 5 
			 Childminders 90 92 90 
			 n/a = Not available.   Notes: 1. Children's centres were included in the survey for the first time in 2008; therefore data is not available for previous years.  2. After school clubs were not asked about holiday opening hours, although 54 per cent. of after school clubs in the 2006 survey were open for 39 weeks a year.

Departmental Data Protection

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the Personnel Security Standard expected of all external contractors before they are allowed access to his Department's information assets is.

Kevin Brennan: All external contractors are required to meet the HMG Baseline Personnel Security Standard as a minimum. Dependent on the nature and protective marking of the information assets to which they will have access, contractors will also be required to have undergone a CRB check or national security vetting clearance as per Cabinet Office guidance.

Education: Young Offender Institutions

Nick Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much was spent on education in  (a) publicly-run and  (b) privately-run young offender institutions in each year since 1997.

Beverley Hughes: The information requested is as follows:
	 (a) Since the transfer of responsibility for offender learning and skills in 2001 from the Home Office to the Department for Education and Skills (now DCSF and DIUS) the following amounts were spent on education in publicly run young offender institutions:
	
		
			   Spend (£) 
			 2001/02 18,545,493 
			 2002/03 27,748,445 
			 2003/04 36,473,477 
			 2004/05 49,722,160 
			 2005/06 56,722,724 
			 2006/07 63,155,062 
		
	
	 (b) HMP YOI Ashfield is the only privately run YOI. It is not possible to give the amount that is spent on education as the contract is for a given price per place and does not extract the amount for education as a separate figure.

Education: Young Offender Institutions

Nick Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much money was spent per young offender on education in young offender institutions in each year since 1997.

Beverley Hughes: Youth Justice Board figures indicate that around £8,100 was spent on education for each juvenile young offender in young offender institutions in 2006/07.
	Figures for the previous year's spend on education per young offender are not routinely disaggregated and can be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.

Leicester

Peter Soulsby: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families on how many occasions the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Schools and Learners has  (a) visited schools and colleges in Leicester and  (b) met teachers and local education officials from Leicester since May 2005.

Kevin Brennan: My noble friend the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Schools and Learners has not visited any schools or colleges in Leicester since May 2005. However, he has met with local authority officials from Leicester city council on one occasion since May 2005.

Pre-school Education

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the evidential basis in research is for the early learning goals for literacy in the early years foundation stage.

Beverley Hughes: The early learning goals relating to literacy in the Early Years Foundation Stage are the same as those which ware developed for the Foundation Stage in 2000 by experts in the National Strategies and the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, with advice from a wide range of academics and professionals outside Government. More recent research and data evidence supports the view that children's early development and experience of early learning has a long term impact on their outcomes. For example, the Review found that by the age of five the majority of children have little, if any, difficulty in grasping key features of phonics and children who received good early teaching in literacy make better progress than those who did not. An Ofsted survey following the Rose review showed that children enjoyed learning about phonics around the age of five and gained satisfaction in putting their learning into practice in their reading and writing.

Pre-school Education

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what research he has commissioned on the developmental appropriateness of the early years foundation stage; and when he plans to publish the findings;
	(2)  what representations he has received on the developmental appropriateness of the early years foundation stage.

Beverley Hughes: I have had a great deal of discussion, and received a range of representations on, the early learning goals in the Early Years Foundation Stage, including about their developmental appropriateness. The early learning goals are developmental milestones for children at the end of the EYFS, most of whom are aged five and over. The very strong consensus is that the majority of the goals are pitched appropriately, but some representations have questioned two specific goals on aspects of early literacy.
	These particular two goals are already included in the Foundation Stage currently used in early years settings. We know that around a third of children already achieve even the two goals which some representations have questioned, and that children who develop well in the Foundation Stage go on to do well in primary school. We need to make sure every child has the chance for a good start in life, and to develop and learn through enjoying active play.

Pupils: Assessments

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  how many and what percentage of children looked after by local authorities achieved the expected level in each key stage examination in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many and what percentage of children looked after by local authorities achieved five or more GCSEs at grade C or above in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  how many and what percentage of children looked after by local authorities were entered for  (a) no,  (b) one,  (c) two,  (d) three,  (e) four and  (f) five GCSEs in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  how many and what percentage of children looked after by local authorities moved schools in the 12 months before the sitting of their GCSEs in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement;
	(5)  how many and what percentage of children looked after by local authorities passed a GCSE at grade A* to F in  (a) English,  (b) science and  (c) mathematics in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Brennan: The information is as follows.
	PQ 206225—Information on how many and what percentage of children looked after by local authorities were entered for  (a) no,  (b) one,  (c) two,  (d) three,  (e) four and  (f) five GCSEs in each of the last five years is not collected centrally by the DCSF.
	PQ 206226—Information on how many and what percentage of children looked after by local authorities moved schools in the 12 months before the sitting of their GCSEs in each of the last five years is not collected centrally by the DCSF.
	PQ 206227—Information on how many and what percentage of children looked after by local authorities passed a GGSE at grade A* to F in  (a) English,  (b) science and  (c) mathematics in each of the last five years is not collected centrally by the DSCF.
	Information relating to the following PQs is collected centrally but can be provided only at disproportionate costs:
	PQ 206222—Information on how many and what percentage of children looked after by local authorities achieved the expected level in each key stage examination in each of the last five years.
	PQ 206224—Information on how many and what percentage of children looked after by local authorities achieved five or more GCSEs at grade C or above in each of the last five years.

Schools: Sports

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what plans are in place to provide schools with funding to ensure children engage in a minimum of two hours of exercise per week.

Kevin Brennan: The PE and Sport Strategy for Young People will be investing £782 million over 2008-11 to offer five hours of PE and sport per week for all young people aged 5-16, and three hours for those aged 16-19.
	School Sport Partnerships—which include all maintained schools in England—receive funding to raise participation levels in PE and sport.
	The 2006/07 school sport survey showed that 86 per cent. of 5-16 year olds participated in at least two hours of high quality PE and school sport per week.

Sure Start Programme

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether he plans to expand Sure Start projects to areas that do not have access to this service.

Beverley Hughes: As of 6 June 2008 there are 2,907 designated Sure Start Children's Centres providing access to services for over 2.27 million children and their families. There will be 3,500 centres by 2010, a children's centre for every community in England offering permanent universal provision.

Sure Start Programme: Leeds

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many childcare places are  (a) available and  (b) planned under the Sure Start programme in Leeds West constituency.

Beverley Hughes: Sure Start Children's Centres offer a range of services to children under five and their families including, in the most disadvantaged areas, integrated early learning and childcare. There are forty seven designated children's centres in Leeds, seven of which are located in the Leeds West constituency. Whilst we understand that all seven of these centres offer childcare, information is not held centrally about the number of childcare places in each centre. Further centres will be developed in Leeds so that by 2010 there will be a centre for every community. Details are not yet available on their precise location or the range of services that will be provided.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Eco Towns

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which of the proposed eco-town locations would involve development on land classed as green wedges or green gaps.

Caroline Flint: Designations of green wedges and green gaps may be held locally in old style local plans or unitary development plans that may have been brought forward into the new system of local development frameworks as 'saved policies'. This information is not held centrally.

Eco-Towns: Planning Permission

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government against which criteria the application for an eco-town at Kingston-upon-Soar in Nottinghamshire was assessed; in which of these areas the application was deemed inadequate; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The application for an eco-town at Kingston-upon-Soar in Nottinghamshire was assessed against the criteria set out in the 'Eco-towns Prospectus', published last July, and copies are available in the Library of the House. An initial summary of the issues for this location and the other shortlisted locations is set out in the consultation document 'Eco-towns—Living a greener future'.

Eco-Towns: Public Participation

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government in respect of proposals for eco-towns in  (a) Leicestershire and  (b) England, 
	(1)  what the open consultation procedure will entail; how local residents will be involved in the consultation process; and by what means local residents will be contacted;
	(2)  which stakeholders will be invited to contribute to the consultation on the proposed eco-town in Leicestershire; who is to lead the consultation process; and what arrangements will be made to notify local residents of the consultation.

Caroline Flint: The consultation process in respect of the proposals for eco-towns shortlisted in 'Eco-towns—Living a greener future', including Leicester, will vary according to the location and the status of the schemes being developed. Bidders are publicising further details of schemes locally and holding consultation events to involve residents and stakeholders, with input from local authorities who are also holding public events. As part of this they will also be identifying key stakeholders, and we would expect these to include local authorities, regional bodies, the Highways Agency, Natural England and Environment Agency.
	In terms of the arrangements for consulting on the proposal in Leicester, I understand that the promoters are holding a series of consultation events and exhibitions on their proposals during June. They have also set up a consultation website and produced themed papers to support the events.
	The Department will also be commissioning exhibition and consultation events about the eco-towns concept, the purpose of eco-towns and a national programme going forward, and this will include local people, local authorities and other stakeholders . The next key step for us in the process will be the publication in July—for further consultation—a draft planning policy statement and a draft Sustainability Appraisal on the locations, which will set out more detail for each location. When we publish the final shortlist of locations with potential to be an eco-town, individual schemes will need to come forward with planning applications and this will provide opportunity for further consultation with the public and stakeholders.

Home Information Packs

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether it remains Government policy that the home condition report should be a component of the home information pack.

Caroline Flint: The home condition report remains an authorised part of the HIP.

Home Information Packs

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many qualified and registered home inspectors are in practice; and how many are in training.

Caroline Flint: Our latest estimate is that there are 822 accredited home inspectors, and 6,756 people registered for training.

Home Information Packs

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate she has made of the number of qualified and registered home inspectors which would be needed if every home information pack contained a home condition report.

Caroline Flint: We estimated, in July 2006 that up to 7,500 home inspectors would have been required if every home information pack contained a home condition report (HCR). This estimate was based on the assumption that many will not work full-time on preparing HCRs, and on the state of the housing market at the time.

Housing: Leasehold

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what steps the Government are planning to make it easier for buyers and sellers of leasehold homes and their agents to obtain information about service charges and other matters relating to the management of the property;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of the merits of requiring management information regarding leasehold homes to be held by the Land Registry in the same way as information held about commonhold homes.

Caroline Flint: As set out in the written ministerial statement made on the 8 May,  Official Report, columns 37-39WS, we have established a working group of key industry and consumer representatives to develop proposals on the type and form of information to be required in a home information pack for a leasehold property. The working group will also report on establishing good practice for managing agents and landlords in the provision of leasehold information.

Local Authorities: Housing

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what funding her Department has provided for local authority capacity building; what definition she uses of capacity building; and which bodies received the funding in the latest period for which figures are available.

John Healey: Capacity building support is provided to enhance and develop authorities confidence leadership and skills to advance improvement and efficiency, as well as developing their capacity to learn, co-operate and share their knowledge and expertise about what works and how. It is ultimately about supporting authorities working with their local partners to deliver better outcomes, improve the quality of life in places and provide better public services. In December 2007, central and local government agreed and published the National Improvement and Efficiency Strategy (NIES). The document can be found at:
	www.communities.gov.uk/publications/localgovernment/efficiency
	This strategy explains how central and local government will work together to transform and improve services and to build local leadership capacity.
	In the CSR04 period (2005-06 - 2007-08), 150 million was allocated to local authorities, either directly or through partnerships, to fund capacity building. Additionally, 148 million Revenue Support Grant top-slice was provided to LGA central bodies to strengthen the capacity of local government.
	In the CSR07 period, (2008-09 - 2010-11) up to 384 million has been provided to help fund capacity building. This includes 114 million of top-sliced Revenue Support Grant provided to the LGA central bodies and 270 million of support from Communities and Local Government.
	Capacity building support is aimed at all counties, single-tier and district councils, as well as fire and rescue authorities. Other local bodies such as national parks authorities can also benefit from the programme. Since 2004, roughly 300 bodies have received funding for capacity building. A full list has been deposited in the Library of the House.

Local Authority Business Growth Incentives Scheme

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding will be allocated to local authorities through the Local Authority Business Growth Incentive Scheme in 2008-09.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 23 April 2008,  Official Report, column 2107W to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr. Pickles).

Local Authority Business Growth Incentives Scheme

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding was given to each local authority through the Local Authority Business Growth Incentive Scheme in each year that the scheme has been in operation.

John Healey: To date, local authorities in England have received 149,704,135 for 2005-06 and 384,751,482 for 2006-07 under the Local Authority Business Growth Incentives scheme.
	I announced provisional additional payments of 13,509,463 for 2005-06 and 37,348,549 for 2006-07, as well as provisional allocations of 246,075,319 for 2007-08, on 2 April. We gave local authorities a period to raise queries on these provisional allocations, finishing on 16 May. I intend to announce the final allocations as soon as possible.
	Decisions on public spending in 2011-12 will be made as part of the next spending review.

Local Government: Pensions

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar of 16 May 2008,  Official Report, columns 1798-99W, on local government: pensions, if she will publish figures for the total cost broken down in each year for individual constituent local authority pension scheme groupings within the broader Local Government Pension Scheme.

John Healey: The information requested is shown in the following table. These data represent the actual amount of contributions paid by employers participating in the Local Government Pension Scheme based on SF3 annual returns submitted to Communities and Local Government by Scheme administering authorities in England. Statistical data relating to the LGPS from 1999-2000 onwards can be found at:
	http://www.local.communities.gov.uk/finance/stats/pensions.htm
	
		
			   million 
			   Shire  c ounties  Metropolitan  d istricts  Inner London  Outer London  Other  a uthorities  Total 
			 1996-97 734 301 103 110 76 1,322 
			 1997-98 848 338 121 130 83 1,520 
			 1998-99 1,021 383 133 154 98 1,788 
			 1999-00 1,131 401 159 171 110 1,972 
			 2000-01 1,323 461 168 195 124 2,273 
			 2001-02 1,534 545 181 216 141 2,617 
			 2002-03 1,632 626 260 236 162 2,916 
			 2003-04 1,874 680 214 275 174 3,217 
			 2004-05 2,070 748 233 308 186 3,544 
			 2005-06 2,374 863 300 357 230 4,124 
			 2006-07 2,653 977 331 404 260 4,626

Non-Domestic Rates

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether transitional relief in the 2010 business rates revaluation will be funded by the public purse.

John Healey: The Local Government Act 2003 made transitional relief schemes a permanent feature of non-domestic (business) rates revaluations, and requires such schemes to be designed to be financed from other business rates payers, so that the gross income from the revalued lists remains the same overall.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when she will answer questions 201301, 201302 and 201303, tabled on 21 April 2008, on the My Choice Homebuy Scheme.

Caroline Flint: I have now replied to the hon. Member's questions.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Archives: Iraq

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress has been made in the project to digitise the proposed documents for Iraq's National Library and Archives.

Margaret Hodge: The Department has funded the British Library's initiative to digitise materials in its collection as part of its continuing contribution to the reconstruction of the collection of the Iraq National Library and Archive (INLA). At the request of Dr. Saad Eskander, director of the INLA, the Library is in the process of digitising approximately 450 historical maps of Iraq and around 20,000 pages of archival records from the India Office Records which relate to Iraq. Over 200 maps have been completed and delivered to Dr. Eskander already and it is expected that the project will be completed by the autumn.

Departmental Manpower

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport with reference to the 23rd Report of the Public Accounts Committee, Session 2006-07, HC 488 on the Office Accommodation of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and its sponsored bodies, how many posts identified for relocation  (a) have been relocated and  (b) will be relocated by the end of (i) 2008, (ii) 2009 and (iii) 2010.

Margaret Hodge: To date, 661 posts from DCMS sponsored bodies have relocated already.
	Current projections are that:
	(i) a total of 795 posts in sponsored bodies will have relocated by the end of 2008;
	(ii) a total of 855 posts in sponsored bodies will have relocated by the end of 2009; and
	(iii) a total of 967 posts in sponsored bodies will have relocated by the end of 2010.
	The DCMS has no plans to relocate posts. The planned target of 967 relocated posts exceeds by over 50 per cent. the Department's agreed target of 600 relocated posts.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much his Department spent on  (a) sport,  (b) heritage,  (c) arts and  (d) tourism in each of the last five years, expressed as a percentage of its Request for Resources in each year.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 4 June 2008
	 The information is as follows.
	
		
			   2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 RfR 1 total final provision (000) 1,304,027 1,915,728 1,459,603 1,513,346 1,721,861 
			   
			  Sport  
			 Outturn (000) 109,764 78,911 111,525 117,530 169,495 
			 Percentage of RfR 1 8.4 4.1 7.6 7.8 9.8 
			   
			  Arts  
			 Outturn (000) 301,452 367,648 398,172 410,589 431,198 
			 Percentage of RfR 1 23.1 19.2 27.3 27.1 25.0 
			   
			  Heritage  
			 Outturn (000) 179,130 187,910 195,670 196,070 208,000 
			 Percentage of RfR 1 13.7 9.8 13.4 13.0 12.1 
			   
			  Tourism  
			 Outturn (000) 21,512 56,883 53,928 54,428 55,425 
			 Percentage of RfR 1 1.6 3.0 3.7 3.6 3.2 
		
	
	2006-07 was used as the final year as the Department does not yet have audited outturn figures for 2007-08.
	Percentages are based on the final provision for Request for Resource 1 of the year in question.

DEFENCE

Armed Forces: Compensation

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of applications to the War Pension Scheme have been refused since 2001; and what percentage of applications to the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme have been refused since 2005.

Derek Twigg: This information is not currently available but it is planned to publish in July 2008.

Armed Forces: Compensation

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many compensation claims were rejected where the standard of proof was a consideration in the decision in each year since 2005.

Derek Twigg: The standard of proof is used in the consideration of all awards and rejections of claims made under the Armed Forces Compensation scheme and this is based on the balance of probabilities. A total of 1,650 compensation claims have been rejected between the scheme's introduction on 6 April 2005 and 31 December 2007. The figures quoted include all rejected first claims under AFCS. They also include cases of automatic consideration of entitlement to AFCS, where the individual is medically discharged. In many cases medical discharge results from injury or illness totally unconnected with service. The rejections for each financial year since 2005-06 are as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2005-06 165 
			 2006-07 745 
			 April 2007 - December 2007 740

Armed Forces: Deployment

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the armed forces are located outside the United Kingdom.

Bob Ainsworth: There were 27,500 UK Regular Forces personnel located outside the United Kingdom as at 1 October 2007.

Armed Forces: Disability Living Allowance

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the  (a) shortest,  (b) longest and  (c) average length of time was to determine disability allowances for (i) service personnel and (ii) veterans in each of the last five years.

Derek Twigg: Each claim under either the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) or the War Pension Scheme (WPS) is assessed on an individual basis against the medical evidence gathered to support such an assessment. The availability of that medical information directly affects the processing times. Data are not readily available to determine the shortest and longest length of time taken to determine disability allowances under either scheme. To try and create such information would incur disproportionate effort and costs. However the average clearance times for processing total disability related claims (rejections and awards), under each scheme in working days are shown in the following table. The rise in the clearance times for AFCS between 2006-07 and 2007-08 reflects the increase in AFCS claims and the requirement to consider a worsening condition under AFCS. Worsening is where service after the AFCS introduction date may have caused or aggravated a condition being claimed under the WPS scheme.
	
		
			   Service personnel/veterans (AFCS)  Veterans (WPS) 
			 2007-08 64 days 55 days 
			 2006-07 35 days 54 days 
			 2005-06 No target data 56 days 
			 2004-05 Not applicable 63 days 
			 2003-04 Not applicable 66 days 
		
	
	In view of the increased number of claims and the requirement to consider a worsening condition additional resources have been added to the AFCS team.

Army: Deployment

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what operational tours the  (a) 2nd and  (b) 4th Battalion The Rifles completed in the last five years; and what operational duties are scheduled for each battalion.

Bob Ainsworth: The battalions in question operationally deployed, in the last five years, are as follows:
	
		
			  Unit  Deployment  Date 
			 2nd Battalion The Rifles (formerly 1st Battalion Royal Green Jackets) Op Banner (NI) March to September 2004 
			  Op Telic 9 (Iraq) November 2006 to March 2007 
			
			 4th Battalion The Rifles (formerly 2nd Battalion Royal Green Jackets) Op Oculus (Balkans) 2001 (six months) 
			  Op Telic 10 (Iraq) June to November 2007 
		
	
	In addition, the 2nd Battalion The Rifles is currently deployed to Kosovo as part of the UK commitment to the NATO/EU shared pan-Balkans Operational Reserve Force (ORF).
	Announcements on future deployments will be made in the usual way.

Bombs

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy will be on UK armed forces participating in operations where allied forces use cluster bombs after the signing of the treaty to ban their use; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: The Convention on Cluster Munitions, as adopted by the UK and 108 other states in Dublin on Friday 30 May 2008, does not alter our ability to work with coalition partners on operations involving states who are not signatories to the agreement.

Departmental Postal Services

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on sending mail overseas in each year since 2001, broken down by delivery company.

Bob Ainsworth: The information requested is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Royal Tournament

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is on the resumption of the Royal Tournament; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will take steps to reinstate the Royal Tournament; and what assessment he has made of the impact of its discontinuation.

Bob Ainsworth: The recently published National Recognition of the Armed Forces Study by my hon. Friend the Member for Grantham and Stamford (Mr. Davies) made 40 recommendations to enhance public awareness and appreciation of the armed forces. Recommendation 7 highlights the very special opportunity that the Royal Tournament offers for this, but also recognises that in view of the current pressure on our armed forces it would not be practicable to revive it at the present time.
	Mr Davies goes on to recommend that the MOD examines on an annual basis, and in light of pressure from overseas deployments, the possibility of launching a modern equivalent to the Royal Tournament; and as with all 40 recommendations, we will respond in detail to this proposal later in the year.
	In the meantime, we continue to support and promote events ranging from the Edinburgh Tattoo to ship visits to specific commemorations such as the recent 90th anniversary of the Royal Air Force, in order to maintain the armed forces' profile among the public.

Veterans: War Pensions

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many veterans have received late payments of  (a) war pensions and  (b) compensation in each year for which records are available.

Derek Twigg: The SPVA deal with each case based on the specifics of that case. In considering claims under both schemes medical evidence of the condition(s) claimed, prognosis for recovery or ending disability and evidence of the link to service is required. Depending on the complexity and needs of the individual cases, gaining sufficient information in order to properly inform the correct decision can take a varying amount of time.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

Admiralty House: Official Residences

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster with reference to the answer of 6 November 2007 to the hon. Member for Hertfordshire North East,  Official Report, column 861W, on Admiralty House, what the cost of  (a) cleaning,  (b) minor works and  (c) refurbishment of the official ministerial residence in Admiralty House formerly occupied by the right hon. Member for Ashfield has been since he vacated the residence.

Tom Watson: No cleaning, minor works or refurbishment costs have been incurred on the flat formerly occupied by my right hon. Friend the Member for Ashfield, which has remained unoccupied.

Admiralty House: Official Residences

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster pursuant to the answer of 19 February 1008,  Official Report, column 685W, on Admiralty House: empty property, what the cost of  (a) cleaning,  (b) minor works and  (c) refurbishment of the official ministerial residence in Admiralty House formerly occupied by the right hon. Member for Derby South was prior to its occupancy by the former Lord Chancellor.

Tom Watson: A cost of 119 was incurred for a general clean and no minor works or refurbishment costs were incurred prior to the allocation of the flat to the former Lord Chancellor.

Departmental Pay

Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much was paid in end-of-year performance bonuses to  (a) all staff and  (b) staff at senior civil service level in his Department in the 2007-08 financial year; and how many payments were made.

Tom Watson: The table shows how much was awarded in end-of-year performance bonuses by the Cabinet Office to  (a) all staff and  (b) staff at a senior civil service level in the 2007-08 financial year; and how many bonuses were awarded.
	
		
			   End-year bonuses awarded ()  Number of end-year bonuses awarded 
			 All staff 1,750,242 884 
			 Senior Civil Servants 895,000 123

Departmental Property

Anne Main: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many residential properties the Cabinet Office owns; how many of these are vacant; and how many of these have been vacant for longer than  (a) three,  (b) six and  (c) 12 months.

Tom Watson: Two residential flats at Admiralty House are currently vacant. One of these has been vacant for longer than six months and the other has been vacant for longer than 12 months.

Departmental Transport

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when the Cabinet Office's and its agencies' green transport plans were introduced; and if he will place in the Library a copy of each such plan.

Phil Hope: The Cabinet Office is committed to promoting sustainable travel and reducing carbon emissions through its business travel.
	Employees are encouraged to only undertake business travel if there are no suitable and practical alternatives available, such as videoconferencing facilities. If travel is unavoidable, employees are encouraged to travel by public transport. Any unavoidable air travel is currently offset as part of Cabinet Office contribution to the Government Carbon Offsetting Fund. An interest free loan is available for purchasing bicycles/equipment and/or a season ticket for public transport. Generally, there is no car parking provision for staff. However, some parking is available for disabled use, ministerial/senior official and operational vehicles. Any further initiatives will be considered as part of Cabinet Office membership of the Civil Service Travel Group.

Foreign Workers: North East

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will estimate the number of workers in employment who were born outside the UK in each metropolitan authority or unitary authority in the North East in each year between 2001 and 2007.

Tom Watson: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 6 June 2008:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking the numbers of workers in employment who were born outside the UK in each metropolitan authority or unitary authority in the North East in each year between 2001 and 2007.
	The Office for National Statistics compiles statistics on migrant workers for local areas from the Annual Population survey (APS) and its predecessor the annual Labour Force Survey (LFS). The National Statistics method for estimating the number of migrant workers employed in the UK is based on the number of people at a given time who were born outside the UK, age 16 or over, and in employment. This question has been answered on this basis. It means, for example, that some people who are UK nationals will be included in the total. Those in employment are defined following International Labour Organisation definitions.
	Table 1, attached, shows estimates of the total number of persons employed who were born outside the UK, for each local authority in the North East. Estimates are obtained for the 12 month periods ending in February, for 2001 to 2004, from the annual LFS. For time series comparisons, the APS estimates from 2005 to 2007 are provided covering the 12 month periods ending in March. The most recently released estimate is also included, which covers the 12 month period ending in September 2007.
	As these estimates are for a subset of the population in small geographical areas, they are based on small sample sizes, and are therefore subject to large margins of uncertainty.
	
		
			  Table 1: Persons aged 16 and over, born outside the UK, who were in employment in the North East, by local authority, 2001-07 
			  Thousand 
			  12 months ending  February 2001  February 2002  February 2003  February 2004  March 2005  March 2006  March 2007  September 2007 
			 North East 29 35 34 37 43 45 48 48 
			  
			 Gateshead 1 1 2 2 2 1 2 2 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 5 6 6 10 12 14 14 13 
			 North Tyneside 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 
			 South Tyneside 1 1 1 1 1 3 3 2 
			 Sunderland 3 4 3 2 3 3 6 5 
			 Hartlepool 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 
			 Middlesbrough 3 3 3 2 3 4 4 4 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 3 3 3 4 4 4 3 3 
			 Darlington 2 3 2 2 2 2 3 3 
			 Chester-le-Street 1 (1) (1) (1) 1 (1) 1 1 
			 Derwentside (1) 1 1 1 1 1 1 (1) 
			 Durham 1 1 1 2 3 2 3 3 
			 Easington (1) 1 1 (1) 1 1 1 1 
			 Sedgefield (1) (1) 1 1 1 (1) (1) (1) 
			 Teesdale   (1) (1) (2) (1) 1 (1) 
			 Wear Valley  (1) (1) (1) (2) (1) (1) (1) 
			 Alnwick (1) (2)  1 (2) (1)  (1) 
			 Berwick-upon-Tweed(1) (2) (1) (1) (1) 
			 Blyth Valley 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 (2) 
			 Castle Morpeth 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 
			 Tynedale 1 1 1 1 1 2 (1) 1 
			 Wansbeck 1 (1) (2) (1) (2) 1 1 1 
			 ''= Nil or negligible (1) Sample too small to provide estimates (2) Grossed total less than 500  Note: The country of birth question in the LFS may undercount foreign born because: it excludes students in halls of residence who do not have a UK resident parent it excludes people in most types of communal establishments (eg hotels, boarding houses, hostels, mobile home sites)  it is grossed to population estimates that only include long-term migrants (staying 12 months or more)  Source: Annual Labour Force Survey/Annual Population Survey

Internet: Fraud

James Brokenshire: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what recent discussions he and his officials have had with the Attorney General's office on initiatives to combat online fraud.

Tom Watson: Ministers and civil servants meet many people as part of the process of policy development and advice. It is not normal practice to disclose details of such meetings.

National Income

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the gross value added was in  (a) London and  (b) each region on the latest date for which figures are available.

Tom Watson: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated  6  June 2008:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question about the difference in gross value added (GVA) between London and the rest of the UK. (208824)
	The Office for National Statistics publishes regional GVA using official statistical geographies known as Nomenclature of Units for Territorial Statistics (NUTS). NUTS1 data cover the Government Office Regions of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
	GVA for the NUTS1 regions for 2006 (the latest year for which data are available), each region's percentage share of the UK's GVA, GVA per head and GVA per head indices are shown in the table below.
	
		
			  NUTS1 regional GVA( 1,2)  2006( 3) 
			  Region  Total ( billion)  Share of UK (percentage)  Per head ()  Per head index (UK=100) 
			 United Kingdom(4) 1,128.80 100 18,631 100 
			  
			 North-east 38.8 3.4 15,177 81 
			 North-west 111.3 9.9 16,234 87 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 82.1 7.3 15,968 86 
			 East midlands 74.1 6.6 16,982 91 
			 West midlands 89.0 7.9 16,583 89 
			 East of England 109.9 9.7 19,599 105 
			 London 196.8 17.4 26,192 141 
			 South-east 177.2 15.7 21,514 115 
			 South-west 89.5 7.9 17,467 94 
			 England 968.6 85.8 19,082 102 
			 Wales 42.7 3.8 14,396 77 
			 Scotland 91.0 8.1 17,789 95 
			 Northern Ireland 26.4 2.3 15,175 81 
			 (1) GVA at current basic prices on residence basis. (2) Figures may not sum due to founding in totals, per head {) figures are rounded to the nearest pound. (3) 2006 estimates are provisional. (4) Excluding Extra-regio (off-shore contribution to GVA that cannot be assigned to any region).

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Biodiversity

Mohammad Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the outcome of the Ninth Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity was; and if he will make a statement.

Joan Ruddock: The ninth Conference of the Parties (COP9) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) was held in Bonn, Germany from 17-30 May 2008. I represented the UK Government at the high level ministerial segment from 28-30 May. During this period I also held bilateral discussions with other Ministers, met representatives of UK stakeholders and attended side-events run by the UK-funded Darwin Initiative and by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee.
	During the high level segment I announced new additional voluntary commitments by the UK Government to further CBD objectives. These include a 100,000 contribution to the preparation and production of the Third Global Biodiversity Outlook, and a further 100,000 contribution to the global study on The economics of ecosystems and biodiversity, the initial findings of which were presented during the high level segment.
	The COP adopted decisions on over 25 issues that included establishing an intersessional process to review the 2010 biodiversity target and use the findings to develop a new target or series of targets beyond 2010 for consideration by COP 10. Other key outcomes included:
	A decision on Access and Benefit Sharing of Genetic Resources (ABS) that agreed a process for three further intersessional ABS Open Ended Working Groups, together with a number of Ad Hoc Technical Experts Groups (AHTEGs), to ensure that the negotiating mandate for the international regime is concluded as soon as possible before COP 10 in 2010.
	A decision on Marine and Coastal Biodiversity that agreed scientific criteria for identifying ecological or biologically significant marine areas in need of protection in areas beyond national jurisdiction.
	A decision on Biodiversity and Climate Change that secured a process for the CBD to contribute biodiversity expertise to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Bali Action Plan, including Reduced Emissions from Deforestation (REDD) in the form of a meeting of technical experts that the UK will part fund.
	A decision that created an effective moratorium on Ocean Fertilisation activities which attempt to manipulate marine ecosystems to increase the removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, with an exception for controlled research studies.
	A decision that strengthened activities in the implementation of the Forestry Programme of Work including strengthening forest law enforcement and governance, increasing the links between forests and climate change mitigation, and adopting a precautionary approach to the release of GM trees.
	A decision on the Agricultural Programme of Work including language on promoting the sustainable use of biofuels and developing sound policy frameworks as well as follow up intersessional work on this issue.
	A decision on Protected Areas which provided for the enhanced management of existing protected areas and the establishment of additional ones.

Carbon Emissions

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the cost to the Exchequer of the Act on CO2 Public Engagement Campaign.

Joan Ruddock: holding answer 2 June 2008
	 The Government's ACT ON CO2 campaign aims to increase awareness and understanding of the relationship between climate change and CO2 and encourages genuine sustained behaviour change. The estimated cost of DEFRA's core ACT ON CO2 campaign in 2007-08 was 5.5 million.

Composting: Environment Protection

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of levels of emission of bio-aerosols from open windrow composting sites in the last period for which figures are available; what assessment he has made of implications for  (a) human and  (b) animal health of such emissions; and what guidelines his Department issues to planning authorities on applications for new open windrow composting sites.

Joan Ruddock: holding answer 22 May 2008
	 There are no estimates of emissions of bioaerosols from open windrow composting sites for any period.
	In 2004 DEFRA published an independent study, Review of the Environmental and Health Effects of Waste Management, which concluded that on the evidence from studies so far, the treatment of municipal solid waste has at most a minor effect on health particularly when compared with other health risks associated with ordinary day-to-day living. In relation to composting, the study acknowledges that this an area where there has been less work and the science is less certain than for other waste management activities. The report is available on DEFRA's website at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/waste/research/health/pdf/health-report.pdf
	This is the most up to date source of information on open windrow composting sites.
	Good site management is important in minimising risks to the environment and health from composting facilities. In 2005, the Composting Association published the Composting Industry Code of Practice, which brings together legislative requirements and good management practice to support the professional operation of composting facilities.
	The Environment Agency has taken a position that there will be a presumption against permitting (and to object to any application) of any new composting process (or modification to an existing process) where the boundary of the facility is within 250 m of a workplace or the boundary of a dwelling, unless the application is accompanied by a site-specific risk assessment, based on clear, independent scientific evidence which show that the bio-aerosol levels are and can be maintained at appropriate levels at the dwelling or workplace.
	In addition, Planning Policy Statement (PPS) 10 and companion guide provides guidance on waste planning. Environment Agency's position indicates that any application with 250 m would need a detailed risk assessment showing how bioaerosol emissions would be managed and reduced at sensitive receptors. Clearly open windrow composting would not allow sufficient management of emissions so would not be acceptable close to a dwelling or workplace.

Pollution Control

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans he has to reduce the administrative burden associated with the implementation of the integrated pollution prevention control regulation.

Joan Ruddock: The pollution prevention and control regime was implemented through the Pollution Prevention and Control (PPC) Regulations (England and Wales) 2000. The PPC regulations transposed several EU directives into domestic legislation.
	In England and Wales the PPC regulations were superseded on 6 April 2008 by the Environmental Permitting (EP) Regulations 2007 (England and Wales). These new regulations bring together the PPC and Waste Management Licensing Regulations into one new regulatory system.
	My Department has issued a comprehensive guidance package which is designed to provide those operating and regulating PPC activities under the EP regulations with information on the permitting procedure.
	For the 400 or so installations regulated by local authorities, a revised, one-stop General Guidance Manual has been published to accompany the introduction of the EP regulations.
	My Department will continue to look for opportunities to simplify the regulation of these installations, consistent with securing the environmental protection objectives of the legislation.

Wastes

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the amount of waste  (a) produced and  (b) recycled in the (i) agriculture, (ii) mining and quarrying, (iii) sewage sludge, (iv) dredged materials, (v) household, (vi) commercial, (vii) industrial and (viii) construction and demolition sectors in each year since 1997.

Joan Ruddock: The available data for the requested waste streams are shown in the tables. Note that the geographical basis varies according to how the data are collected. Estimates for agriculture, household, commercial, industrial, construction and demolition sectors are for England. UK estimates only are available for dredgings and mining and quarrying wastes. Figures for sewage sludge relate to England and Wales.
	
		
			  (i) Agriculture, England 
			   Agriculture waste arisings (thousand tonnes) 
			 1998 239 
			 2003 265 
			 2004 224 
			 2006(1) 316 
			 (1) 2006 figures contain incorporate additional waste types (machinery, tyres, asbestos roof sheets, CFC gas and batteries) which were not included in estimates for previous years. These waste streams account for an estimated 83,000 tonnes in 2006.  Source: England estimates of agricultural waste arisings based on Environment Agency modelling. 
		
	
	Estimates for 1998 and 2003 only cover material which are classified as waste following the incorporation of agricultural waste under the Waste Management (England and Wales) Regulations 2006. Agricultural waste excludes manure and slurry where they are applied to land as fertiliser for the benefit of agriculture on clearly identified parcels of land and where storage is limited to the needs of those spreading operations.
	Farmers have several management options available to them including storage of waste on site for up to 12 months, recovery or disposal at a permitted waste facility, or registration with the Environment Agency for an appropriate waste management permit or exemption for on-farm recovery. There is little information available on the recycling and other management of agricultural waste.
	Agricultural waste arisings are estimated using Agricultural Census data on the numbers of livestock and crop areas multiplied by unit waste arisings (per hectare or per head) which are based on a variety of sources. Therefore, these figures are only broad estimate of agricultural waste arisings.
	
		
			  (ii) Mining and quarrying, UK 
			   Minerals waste( 1)  (million tonnes) 
			 1997 109.2 
			 1998 100.8 
			 1999 96.6 
			 2000 95.9 
			 2001 96.1 
			 2002 95.6 
			 2003 97.0 
			 2004 95.9 
			 2005 92.6 
			 2006(2) 88.8 
			 (1) Dry weight. (2) Provisional.  Source: DEFRA estimates based on the production data in UK Minerals Year Book, published by British Geological Survey, and applying product to waste ratios. 
		
	
	Production of mineral waste from UK mines and quarries is connected, in particular, to the extraction of coal, slate, china clay and ball clay because of high amounts of waste per tonne of mineral extracted, and with extraction of aggregates because of the scale of that sector of the industry. It includes material that is moved to gain access to the mineral resource, as well as mineral deposits that are uneconomic and processing wastes remaining after primary processing of minerals. The vast majority of these materials are non-hazardous and inert, and are managed by the operator at the place of operation.
	There are no definitive statistics available regarding mineral waste management, as individual mines and quarries will manage wastes according to local conditions.
	Following the coming into force of EU Directive 2006/21/EC on the management of waste from the extractive industries (the Mining Waste Directive) on 1 May 2006, mineral waste has to be defined by reference to, and regulated in accordance with, this directive. The Mining Waste Directive has now been transposed into national law. Mine waste facilities will be subject to the new provisions by 2012.
	
		
			  (iii) Sewage sludgeEngland and Wales 
			  Thousand tonnes 
			   1996-97  1997-98  1998-99  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005 
			 Sewage sludge arisings(1) 942 873 936 941 1,137 1,249 1,280 1,221 1,369 
			   
			  Management of sewage sludge  
			 Farmland 486 490 474 557 745 748 803 856 995 
			 Landfill 93 67 84 53 65 65 38 15 7 
			 Sea disposal(2) 182 173 93 - - - - - - 
			 Incineration 88 81 184 211 216 232 227 189 243 
			 Power generation/gasification(3)  52 50   
			 Land reclamation/restoration(3) 44 84 106 115 80 
			 Other(4) 94 62 101 121 67 68 56 45 44 
			 (1) Total amounts of sewage sludge have increased as a result of the UWWT Directive requiring more treatment. (2) Sea disposal has been discontinued. (3) These disposal routes have been developed in recent yearsthere may have been some included in 'other' in previous years but the amounts would have been small. (4) Other includes beneficial uses for land reclamation and forestry and soil and compost products.  Source: Water UK (Water Companies; Scottish Executive; DOE (Nl) Water Service). 
		
	
	Disposal by dumping at sea, which previously accounted for about one quarter of production, was banned in 1998 by regulations implementing the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC). The Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (UWWTD) states that sludge should be re-used whenever appropriate and that disposal routes should minimise the adverse effects on the environment. Recycling to farmland is the current main disposal route (73 per cent. in 2005, up from 59 per cent. in 2000), followed by incineration (18 per cent. down from 22 per cent.). Disposal to landfill has significantly decreased in recent years (6 per cent. down to 0.5 per cent.) and use in land restoration/reclamation has increased (6 per cent. from 0 per cent.).
	
		
			  (iv) Dredged materialsUK 
			  Million tonnes 
			   Dredged material( 1) 
			 1997 22.3 
			 1998 17.4 
			 1999 32.8 
			 2000 16.6 
			 2001 18.5 
			 2002 16.4 
			 2003 17.5 
			 2004 15.8 
			 2005 16.5 
			 (1) Dry weight.  Source: Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS), OSPAR commission. 
		
	
	Dredged materials are disposed of at sea in line with international obligations under the OSPAR and London Conventions.
	
		
			  (v) HouseholdEngland 
			   1996-97  1997-98  1998-99  1999-2000  2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 Household waste 22.5 23.3 23.5 24.8 25.1 25.5 25.8 25.4 25.7 25.5 25.8 
			 Recycling 1.7 1.9 2.1 2.5 2.8 3.2 3.7 4.5 5.8 6.8 8.0 
			 Percentage recycled 7 8 9 10 11 13 14 18 23 27 31 
			  Source: DEFRA Municipal Waste Management Survey and WasteDataFlow 
		
	
	Data from the first two quarters of 2007-08 indicate an increase in household recycling rate from 31 per cent. between April 2006 and March 2007, to 33 per cent. between October 2006 and September 2007.
	Household waste includes household collection rounds ('bin' waste), other household collections such as bulky waste collections, waste from services such as litter collections, waste from civic amenity sites and wastes separately collected for recycling or composting through bring/drop off schemes, kerbside schemes and at civic amenity sites. Household recycling covers materials sent for recycling, composting or reuse by local authorities as well as those collected from household sources by 'private/voluntary' organisations. It excludes material which was collected for recycling from household sources but actually rejected at collection or at the gate of a recycling reprocessor. It includes residual waste from the household stream which was diverted for recycling by sorting or further treatment.
	
		
			  (vi) and (vii) Commercial and industrialEngland 
			   1998-99  2002-03 
			  Commercial   
			 Arisings (million tonnes) 28.6 30.3 
			 Recycled (million tonnes) 8.1 12.1 
			 Percentage recycled 28 40 
			
			  Industrial   
			 Arisings (million tonnes) 40.1 37.6 
			 Recycled (million tonnes) 18.6 18.7 
			 Percentage recycled 46 50 
			  Source: Environment Agency Commercial and Industrial Waste Surveys 1998-99 and 2002-03. 
		
	
	Recycling tonnages include estimates on the management of waste to unknown or unrecorded routes and a proportion of waste being sent to transfer and treatment processes.
	
		
			  (viii) Construction and demolitionEngland 
			   1999  2001  2003  2005 
			 Construction and demolition waste arisings (million tonnes) 69.2 88.9 90.9 89.6 
			 Recycled (million tonnes) 24.4 43.3 45.5 46.4 
			 Percentage recycled 35 49 50 52 
			  Note: These surveys only include construction and demolition England wastes which are suitable for processing into aggregate. Between 2001 and 2005, inert construction waste (suitable for reprocessing into aggregate) is estimated to have remained stable at around 90 million tonnes. Overall, the re-use and recycling (using crushers/screeners) of materials suitable for reprocessing into aggregates or recycled soil increased from 49 per cent. in 2001 to 52 per cent. in 2005. The amount of aggregate waste going to landfill has stayed stable in 2003 and 2005 at just over 30 per cent. The non-recycled materials are largely used for beneficial purposes such as land restoration but an estimated 18 million tonnes goes to landfill for disposal.  Source: DCLG surveys on arisings and use of construction, demolition and excavation wastes

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Belarus: Human Rights

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the human rights situation in Belarus.

David Miliband: The Government continues to have serious concerns about the lack of respect for human rights in Belarus and monitors the situation closely. The Government's assessment of the situation in Belarus can be found in our latest annual Human Rights report, available at:
	www.fco.gov.uk
	We will continue to work with our EU and US partners to raise our concerns and push for improvement.
	The recent crackdown on civil society is worrying. We are particularly concerned by the Belarusian government's actions against protesters involved in the demonstrations on 25 March and 26 April and the severe sentencing of two more political prisoners, Sergei Parsyukevich and Andrei Kim on 22 April and 23 April for their participation in demonstrations in January 2008. The recent re-arrest of five individuals recognised by the EU as political prisoners soon after their release is also very worrying.

Democracy

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent estimate he has made of the number of states with a majority Muslim population that are likely to become democracies within the next 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: We have not made a recent estimate but in his speechThe Democratic Imperativein Oxford on 8 February, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary argued that
	we should back demands among citizens for more freedom and power over their liveswhether that is reforming established democracies or supporting transitions to democracy; from Botswana to Indonesia, there are striking examples of successful representative democracies that demonstrate how universal values can be applied to diverse cultural, social and economic contexts.
	We support democratic processes in all states and work through the UN and the EU to extend the implementation of democratic rights through multilateral processes. Through the Human Rights and Democracy programme fund, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office works with all governments and civil society to promote better electoral processes, the role of civil society and the freedom of expression.

Iran: Sanctions

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects the European Union to agree new sanctions on  (a) Iranian oil and gas and  (b) the Iranian financial sector.

David Miliband: We are pressing for a new EU Common Position to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1803, including a provision on increased vigilance over the activities of Iranian financial institutions. We are pursuing additional EU listings of entities and individuals based on the previous EU Common Position. We are also discussing a range of possible EU measures which would go beyond the scope of Security Council resolutions should Iran continue to fail to implement its international obligations. As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has signalled, this could include a ban on investment in Iranian liquefied natural gas.

Lebanon: Politics and Government

Mohammad Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the contribution of recent mediations of the Arab League to peace and stability in Lebanon.

Kim Howells: The announcement of an agreement for Lebanon, 'the Doha Accord', on 21 May and the subsequent election of President Suleiman on 25 May are important steps forward for Lebanon. The UK pays tribute to Qatar and the Arab League whose efforts, both in Beirut and Doha, did so much to make the agreement possible. It is now important for Lebanon's future peace and stability that the agreement is implemented. We will continue to support the government and people of Lebanon over this important period.

Sudan: Peace Negotiations

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the work of the Assessment and Evaluation Commission on a settlement for the Abyei region of Sudan.

Meg Munn: Following the fighting of 14-21 May in Abyei, the Assessment and Evaluation Commission (AEC), chaired by Sir Derek Plumbly, has been engaging with all the parties. There was an extraordinary plenary meeting of the AEC in Khartoum on 25 May to discuss Abyei. An AEC Working Group visited the area on 28 May to assess the situation and to urge both sides to resolve the conflict in Abyei.

Sudan: Peace Negotiations

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on progress on the formation and integration of joint integrated units in Sudan under the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.

Meg Munn: We monitor closely the formation and integration of the Joint Integrated Units (JIUs), which were established under the Comprehensive Peace Agreement to improve security in disputed areas between north and south Sudan. The JIUs are made up of equal numbers of the Sudan Armed Forces and the Sudan People's Liberation Army. We are encouraging donors to provide resources to the JIUs in order to improve their effectiveness.

Sudan: Peace Negotiations

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has raised the issue of Abyei with the other international guarantors of Sudan's Comprehensive Peace Agreement; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: Since the fighting in Abyei broke out on 14 May, we have discussed Abyei frequently with the other international guarantors of Sudan's Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). We support the work of the Assessment and Evaluation Commission as a suitable international body to monitor the implementation of the CPA and to broker a resolution for the dispute over Abyei.

Sudan: Peacekeeping Operations

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the role played by the UN force in Abyei in trying to bring peace to that area of Sudan; and what representations he has made to the UN to bolster the effectiveness of that force.

Meg Munn: Observers from the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) were in Abyei during the fighting of 14-21 May and UNMIS senior officers played a supporting role in the brokering of a ceasefire. UNMIS has restricted movement within the Abyei region. The UK worked with UN Security Council partners to ensure that UN Security Council Resolution 1812, which renews the UNMIS mandate, makes reference to Abyei and calls on the parties to allow unrestricted access and operations in the disputed area.

HEALTH

Accident and Emergency Departments

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department provides on the facilities each NHS accident and emergency department should have.

Ben Bradshaw: The services it is appropriate for any national health service organisation to provide is a matter for local, not central decision. What is key is that patients have timely access to high quality, safe care, as close to home as is compatible with clinical safety.

Departmental Compensation

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much compensation has been awarded by his Department to its staff since May 1997; and what the reason for compensation was in each case.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department awards compensation to staff for a variety of reasons. The total value associated with each reason and the period this covers are presented in the following table. Figures are not available prior to 1 October 2003.
	
		
			  Reason  Period  Amount (to the nearest 000) 
			 Untaken annual leave or flexileave 1 October 2003 to 31 March 2007 1,209,000 
			 In lieu of notice when employment is terminated 1 October 2003 to 31 March 2007 3,561,000 
			 Ex-gratia payments 1 October 2003 to 31 March 2007 54,000 
			 Redundancy/severance 1 October 2003 to 31 March 2007 88,000

Health Services: Newcastle upon Tyne

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Newcastle City Overview and Scrutiny Committee has asked him to consider  (a) the transfer of the Sir Martin Roth Unit, Newcastle General Hospital to Prudhoe and  (b) the closure, and partial transfer to Prudhoe, of the Nuffield Unit, Newcastle upon Tyne.

Ann Keen: The North East strategic health authority reports that a joint committee of the Newcastle City Overview and Scrutiny Committee is considering these transfers. However, referral has not yet been made to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State.

Medical Records: Databases

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 22 April 2008,  Official Report, column 1990W, on medical records: disclosure of information, where each of the NHS care records service registers are held; whether each is held electronically; whether each is accessible through the internet or N3; what security measures are in place to protect them; and on how many occasions they have been illegally accessed.

Ben Bradshaw: The National Electronic ('spine') Database of Patient Information that forms the core of the national health service care records service (NHS CRS) is hosted in secure data centres. The location of data centres is not made public to avoid compromising security arrangements and potential criminal exploitation of the information they hold.
	Data centres must conform to the British Standards Institution information security management code of practice, referred to internationally as ISO17799:2005 and
	ISO27001:2005, and must meet strict standards in terms of both the structure of, and control of physical access to, the buildings. There is a contractual requirement for staff employed in data centres to be security cleared. Regular review arrangements exist to ensure compliance with the relevant standards, and other contractual information security requirements.
	To date there have been no identified breaches of the physical security at any of the 'spine' data centres, and no identified cases where unauthorised access to the database has been gained electronically from outside the NHS.
	All patient-identifiable data transmitted to, from and via the spine travels exclusively over the N3 secure electronic network, which is protected using various network security controls and encryption. Access requires the use of a smartcard with a linked username and alphanumeric pass code. Smartcards are issued by a NHS CRS registration authority only when satisfactory evidence of identity and residence is provided in person by NHS staff.
	Regular reviews of the end-to-end security infrastructure are undertaken to identify where industry best practice has changed or technologies improved so that these can be incorporated into the overall system.
	In addition, the NHS maintains an effective liaison with the United Kingdom's information security authorities and others for the sharing of relevant advice and guidance on known information security threats and vulnerabilities.
	Together these safeguards provide high levels of security assurance.

Mental Health Services: North East

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what average waiting times were for  (a) adult,  (b) adolescent and  (c) child psychiatry in each mental health trust in the North East in each year between 2002 and 2007; and how many people were on waiting lists in each category in each year.

Ivan Lewis: The information requested is not held centrally.

NHS: Databases

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which trusts have  (a) completed mapping and reviewing of all person-identifiable data flows,  (b) made movements of data secure and  (c) identified risk areas in data security.

Ben Bradshaw: Effective information governance is the responsibility of individual national health service bodies. The NHS chief executive received assurances on 31 March from all trust chief executives that they had identified data security risk areas and were either meeting appropriate security standards or were actively managing risks whilst necessary improvements are made.
	Information is not held centrally on which trusts have completed work on mapping and reviewing all person-identifiable data flows.

NHS: Finance

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the weighted capitation formula figure is for each primary care trust in England in terms of  (a) per capita target and  (b) per capita allocation for 2008-09.

Ben Bradshaw: The following table provides the target allocation per head and the allocation per head of unweighted population for all primary care trusts (PCTs) in England for 2008-09.
	
		
			   
			  PCT  2008-09 allocation per head  2008-09 target allocation per head 
			 Ashton, Leigh and Wigan PCT 1,563 1,602 
			 Barking and Dagenham PCT 1,702 1,764 
			 Barnet PCT 1,442 1,348 
			 Barnsley PCT 1,609 1,667 
			 Bassetlaw PCT 1,394 1,445 
			 Bath and North East Somerset PCT 1,269 1,264 
			 Bedfordshire PCT 1,215 1,257 
			 Berkshire East PCT 1,300 1,282 
			 Berkshire West PCT 1,230 1,236 
			 Bexley Care Trust 1,406 1,401 
			 Birmingham East and North PCT 1,605 1,641 
			 Blackburn with Darwen PCT 1,565 1,618 
			 Blackpool PCT 1,708 1,704 
			 Bolton PCT 1,542 1,574 
			 Bournemouth and Poole PCT 1,510 1,502 
			 Bradford And Airedale Teaching PCT 1,503 1,520 
			 Brent Teaching PCT 1,650 1,574 
			 Brighton and Hove City PCT 1,562 1,559 
			 Bristol PCT 1,425 1,410 
			 Bromley PCT 1,405 1,361 
			 Buckinghamshire PCT 1,216 1,221 
			 Bury PCT 1,439 1,471 
			 Calderdale PCT 1,454 1,417 
			 Cambridgeshire PCT 1,230 1,256 
			 Camden PCT 1,737 1,646 
			 Central and Eastern Cheshire PCT 1,340 1,324 
			 Central Lancashire PCT 1,441 1,432 
			 City and Hackney Teaching PCT 1,972 2,043 
			 Cornwall and Isles Of Scilly PCT 1,395 1,442 
			 County Durham PCT 1,646 1,666 
			 Coventry Teaching PCT 1,548 1,604 
			 Croydon PCT 1,444 1,418 
			 Cumbria PCT 1,437 1,445 
			 Darlington PCT 1,590 1,507 
			 Derby City PCT 1,407 1,449 
			 Derbyshire County PCT 1,395 1,411 
			 Devon PCT 1,363 1,374 
			 Doncaster PCT 1,567 1,598 
			 Dorset PCT 1,388 1,403 
			 Dudley PCT 1,423 1,433 
			 Ealing PCT 1,595 1,495 
			 East and North Hertfordshire PCT 1,275 1,299 
			 East Lancashire Teaching PCT 1,554 1,566 
			 East Riding Of Yorkshire PCT 1,276 1,300 
			 East Sussex Downs and Weald PCT 1,451 1,414 
			 Eastern and Coastal Kent PCT 1,455 1,468 
			 Enfield PCT 1,508 1,505 
			 Gateshead PCT 1,716 1,717 
			 Gloucestershire PCT 1,309 1,303 
			 Great Yarmouth and Waveney PCT 1,493 1,547 
			 Greenwich Teaching PCT 1,665 1,654 
			 Halton and St Helens PCT 1,645 1,675 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham PCT 1,737 1,639 
			 Hampshire PCT 1,288 1,281 
			 Haringey Teaching PCT 1,688 1,679 
			 Harrow PCT 1,463 1,364 
			 Hartlepool PCT 1,653 1,701 
			 Hastings and Rother PCT 1,639 1,606 
			 Havering PCT 1,481 1,478 
			 Heart of Birmingham Teaching PCT 1,685 1,746 
			 Herefordshire PCT 1,337 1,385 
			 Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale PCT 1,603 1,627 
			 Hillingdon PCT 1,450 1,403 
			 Hounslow PCT 1,563 1,493 
			 Hull Teaching PCT 1,524 1,515 
			 Isle of Wight IMHS PCT 1,524 1,579 
			 Islington PCT 2,067 1,907 
			 Kensington and Chelsea PCT 1,512 1,441 
			 Kingston PCT 1,345 1,232 
			 Kirklees PCT 1,413 1,403 
			 Knowsley PCT 1,886 1,954 
			 Lambeth PCT 1,858 1,650 
			 Leeds PCT 1,444 1,399 
			 Leicester City PCT 1,487 1,535 
			 Leicestershire County and Rutland PCT 1,190 1,218 
			 Lewisham PCT 1,799 1,616 
			 Lincolnshire Teaching PCT 1,346 1,389 
			 Liverpool PCT 1,917 1,977 
			 Luton PCT 1,433 1,485 
			 Manchester PCT 1,759 1,823 
			 Medway PCT 1,326 1,374 
			 Mid Essex PCT 1,187 1,215 
			 Middlesbrough PCT 1,711 1,737 
			 Milton Keynes PCT 1,251 1,297 
			 Newcastle PCT 1,725 1,697 
			 Newham PCT 1,828 1,889 
			 Norfolk PCT 1,333 1,365 
			 North East Essex PCT 1,388 1,435 
			 North East Lincolnshire PCT 1,464 1,461 
			 North Lancashire Teaching PCT 1,436 1,443 
			 North Lincolnshire PCT 1,368 1,392 
			 North Somerset PCT 1,311 1,359 
			 North Staffordshire PCT 1,430 1,425 
			 North Tees PCT 1,405 1,456 
			 North Tyneside PCT 1,541 1,542 
			 North Yorkshire and York PCT 1,269 1,266 
			 Northamptonshire Teaching PCT 1,304 1,355 
			 Northumberland Care Trust 1,461 1,458 
			 Nottingham City PCT 1,509 1,509 
			 Nottinghamshire County Teaching PCT 1,370 1,379 
			 Oldham PCT 1,573 1,618 
			 Oxfordshire PCT 1,221 1,219 
			 Peterborough PCT 1,552 1,486 
			 Plymouth Teaching PCT 1,454 1,447 
			 Portsmouth City Teaching PCT 1,313 1,313 
			 Redbridge PCT 1,392 1,384 
			 Redcar and Cleveland PCT 1,635 1,646 
			 Richmond and Twickenham PCT 1,449 1,283 
			 Rotherham PCT 1,549 1,569 
			 Salford PCT 1,792 1,776 
			 Sandwell PCT 1,616 1,667 
			 Sefton PCT 1,639 1,605 
			 Sheffield PCT 1,574 1,512 
			 Shropshire County PCT 1,315 1,326 
			 Solihull Care Trust 1,323 1,329 
			 Somerset PCT 1,331 1,363 
			 South Birmingham PCT 1,544 1,546 
			 South East Essex PCT 1,409 1,421 
			 South Gloucestershire PCT 1,178 1,188 
			 South Staffordshire PCT 1,283 1,304 
			 South Tyneside PCT 1,724 1,749 
			 South West Essex PCT 1,392 1,425 
			 Southampton City PCT 1,398 1,427 
			 Southwark PCT 1,826 1,770 
			 Stockport PCT 1,418 1,408 
			 Stoke On Trent PCT 1,618 1,626 
			 Suffolk PCT 1,274 1,300 
			 Sunderland Teaching PCT 1,744 1,738 
			 Surrey PCT 1,316 1,254 
			 Sutton and Merton PCT 1,395 1,333 
			 Swindon PCT 1,355 1,351 
			 Tameside and Glossop PCT 1,572 1,576 
			 Telford and Wrekin PCT 1,332 1,381 
			 Torbay Care Trust 1,525 1,581 
			 Tower Hamlets PCT 1,903 1,972 
			 Trafford PCT 1,500 1,458 
			 Wakefield District PCT 1,530 1,561 
			 Walsall Teaching PCT 1,586 1,596 
			 Waltham Forest PCT 1,628 1,616 
			 Wandsworth PCT 1,579 1,411 
			 Warrington PCT 1,419 1,420 
			 Warwickshire PCT 1,321 1,350 
			 West Essex PCT 1,377 1,366 
			 West Hertfordshire PCT 1,324 1,291 
			 West Kent PCT 1,297 1,297 
			 West Sussex PCT 1,400 1,368 
			 Western Cheshire PCT 1,459 1,459 
			 Westminster PCT 1,627 1,458 
			 Wiltshire PCT 1,246 1,247 
			 Wirral PCT 1,680 1,675 
			 Wolverhampton City PCT 1,606 1,664 
			 Worcestershire PCT 1,311 1,335

NHS: ICT

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 7 January 2008,  Official Report, columns 123-4W, on NHS: ICT, if he will reconcile the figures in the table with the 12.4 billion cost identified by the National Audit Office on page four of its report, The National Programme for IT in the NHS; how much capital and revenue expenditure there was by  (a) local NHS organisations and  (b) central NHS organisations and Connecting for Health; what estimate he has made of the (i) capital and (ii) revenue expenditure on IT in the NHS in the absence of a National Programme; and what the (A) capital and (B) revenue expenditure on IT was in the NHS between 1989-90 and 2004-05 expressed as a percentage of NHS expenditure.

Ben Bradshaw: Information in the table in the earlier reply relates to expenditure to date, and the future expenditure plans to 2010-11, of NHS connecting for health. As well as sums in respect of the National Programme For Information Technology (NPfIT), the table also includes those of the agency's other responsibilities.
	The 12.4 billion was the National Audit Office's then estimate of the 10-year cost, to 2013-14, including both central and local national health service costs, of NPfIT alone.
	The former figures therefore relate to a broader range of business activities than the latter, and cover a different time period.
	The Department has not made an estimate of expenditure on NHS IT in the absence of a national programme but an independent review confirmed that the likely costs of. Each NHS trust undertaking procurements for IT solutions would cost 4.5 billion more.
	Totals of expenditure on NHS IT, as a percentage of NHS expenditure, in the years for which information is shown in the following table.
	
		
			   Combine local and central IT revenue spend as a percentage of NHS revenue  Combined local and central IT capital spend as a percentage of NHS capital 
			 2002-03 2.0 (1) 
			 2003-04 2.16 9.35 
			 2004-05 2.44 20.17 
			 2005-06 2.49 23.37 
			 2006-07 2.70 25.26 
			 (1) Information not held centrally.

NHS: ICT

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library a copy of the documentation his Department has sent to trusts in 2008 concerning  (a) Connecting for Health and  (b) Choose and Book.

Ben Bradshaw: Most communications and information material aimed both at national health service staff and the public, and other documentation aimed at NHS bodies relating to the work of NHS Connecting for Health, including choose and book, are now published on relevant websites. These are accessible by trusts who know to look there for key messages and update information. Documents, including data reports, are available on a call-off basis or made available on request.
	Since 2007 responsibility for deployment planning and other key programme activities and associated resources has been given to strategic health authorities (SHAs) as a means of creating greater local ownership and to make the NHS more accountable for the delivery of the National Programme for Information Technology. Documentation arising from this responsibility is therefore generated locally within the NHS.
	Exceptionally a letter was sent out on 7 February 2008 (Choose and Book Release 4.0 and Free Choice (Gateway Ref. 9285)) informing the NHS about changes to the choose and book software that would be introduced to support free choice. Attached with the letter were a number of documents explaining the changes to support communications at a local level. In addition, the document Impact of Free Choice Policy on Choose and Book Release 4.0Essential information for Providers and Commissioners was published on 18 March as part of a package of documents to support the roll out of free choice. In both cases documents were sent under cover of the chief executive's weekly bulletin.
	Copies of the relevant documents have been placed in the Library.

NHS: ICT

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the accuracy of the June 2006 National Audit Office estimate of the total cost of the NHS IT programme.

Ben Bradshaw: The National Audit Office's (NAO) estimate of the 10-year cost of the National Programme For Information Technology (NPfIT) to 2013-14 was 12.4 billion, including both central and local national health service costs. The NAO has reviewed this estimate to 12.656 billion, at 2004-05 prices, as part of its latest study of NPfIT published on 16 May 2008.
	The following table was submitted as part of the memorandum of evidence submitted by the Department to the Health Select Committee in connection with the Committee's 2007 public expenditure inquiry on health and personal social services. It reflects estimated cost reductions not included in the NAO's estimate.
	
		
			  Projected lifetime central and local expenditure on the NPfIT 
			  Expenditure type  Expenditure ( million) 
			 Original contracts (1)6,648 
			 Increased scope (1)425 
			 Additional services (1)350 
			   
			 Total contracts 7,423 
			   
			 Central expenditure (2)1,500 
			 Total contracts and central expenditure 8,923 
			   
			 Cost reductions (Enterprise Wide Agreements, NHSMail, PACS) (3)1,731 
			   
			 Total net central costs 7,192 
			   
			 Local NHS expenditure (estimate gross) (4)3,400 
			 Estimated local cost reductions (5)2,457 
			   
			 Net local costs 943 
			   
			 Total gross programme costs 12,323 
			 Total net programme costs 8,135 
			 (1) Fixed price contracts. (2) NAO estimate (1,900 million) adjusted for costs relating to non-NPfIT activity and future reduction in size of NHS Connecting for Health. (3) Difference between cost of central procurements and cost of equivalent procurements by individual NHS bodies. (4) NAO estimate. (5) Estimates based on case studies following early deployments.  Notes: 1. Considerable further savings are anticipated from wider programme benefits, eg improvements in patient safety. 2. Data quality: Of the estimated central and local 'cost reductions' (items 3 and 5), the former is a calculation based on current and historic contract prices; the latter is a grossed-up estimate for the NHS as a whole, based on individual case studies.

INNOVATION, UNIVERSITIES AND SKILLS

Adult Education: Discrimination

Derek Conway: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what estimate he has made of the effect of the Age Discrimination Regulations 2006 on the number of people aged over 60 years undertaking further education.

Bill Rammell: The Government are committed to ensuring equal opportunities for all learners, and that learning serves the needs of the whole community, including older people both within and outside the work force. Our strategy for World Class Skills and our reforms of wider adult learning are designed to ensure that everyone, whatever their age or background, has the opportunity to improve their skills, prospects and quality of life.
	Protection from discrimination on grounds of age was introduced in the area of employment and vocational training through the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006. The Regulations mean that further education and training providers are not allowed to set age limits for access to training unless they can show objective justification why there is a real need to apply such limits. The Government have decided that all courses at further and higher education institutions are covered by the age regulations, whether they are specifically vocational or more general in nature. This ensures that there is a unified and consistent approach to age-related practices and policies in relation to all such provision.
	Fee concessions for Further Education (FE) provision are offered at the discretion (and cost) of individual colleges and other FE providers, such as local authorities, and I must stress that the Regulations do not bar providers from offering these fee discounts. Many colleges and other providers have longstanding, formal, informal and discretionary arrangements based on age when deciding eligibility for fee concessions, and it will continue to be the learning provider's decision as to whether to offer these subsidies to individuals. As a result, neither my Department nor the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) holds information on those learners who receive these concessions.
	I refer the hon. Member to my written statement on 16 May 2007,  Official Report, column 35WS:
	Guidance on the vocational training aspects of the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations is available on the DTI website. It is aimed at, amongst others, providers of further and adult education. The guidance makes it clear that age related practices, such as age related fee concessions, may be objectively justified where they are a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim. It is for providers to produce evidence of such objective justification if called upon to do so, or to take their own legal advice if necessary. Guidance on objective justification is also available on page 30 of the ACAS guidance on the Age Regulations.

Adult Education: Discrimination

Derek Conway: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills if he will place in the Library a summary of his discussions with the Learning and Skills Council on the impact on the number of people aged over 60 years undertaking further education as a result of the Age Discrimination Regulations 2006.

Bill Rammell: The Government are committed to ensuring equal opportunities for all learners, and that learning serves the needs of the whole community, including older people both within and outside the work force. Our strategy for World Class Skills and our reforms of wider adult learning are designed to ensure that everyone, whatever their age or background, has the opportunity to improve their skills, prospects and quality of life.
	Ministers in my Department have regular discussions with the Learning and Skills Council on a wide range of issues, including during the lead up to the publication of the annual Grant Letter to the LSC. The Grant Letter sets out the Government's priorities for further education and adult skills, including the expectations it places on the LSC in relation to equality and diversity. A copy of each annual Grant Letter has been placed in the Library.
	Protection from discrimination on grounds of age was introduced in the area of employment and vocational training through the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006. The Regulations mean that further education and training providers are not allowed to set age limits for access to training unless they can show objective justification why there is a real need to apply such limits. The Government have decided that all courses at further and higher education institutions are covered by the Age Regulations, whether they are specifically vocational or more general in nature. This ensures that there is a unified and consistent approach to age-related practices and policies in relation to all such provision.
	I refer the hon. Member to my written statement on 16 May 2007,  Official Report, column 35WS:
	Guidance on the vocational training aspects of the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations is available on the DTI website. It is aimed at, amongst others, providers of further and adult education. The guidance makes it clear that age related practices, such as age related fee concessions, may be objectively justified where they are a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim. It is for providers to produce evidence of such objective justification if called upon to do so, or to take their own legal advice if necessary. Guidance on objective justification is also available on page 30 of the ACAS guidance on the Age Regulations.

Apprentices

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills whether Government targets for apprenticeships include apprentices who have completed a programme-led course rather than a work-based craft apprenticeship.

David Lammy: No. Targets for apprenticeships are for work-based apprenticeships only. Programme-led apprenticeships are an important progression route to a full apprenticeship framework. They are excluded from our targets because apprenticeships are employer led and these learners are not participating in a full apprenticeship framework of work-based training.

Apprentices

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many apprenticeship  (a) starts and  (b) completions there were in (i) the public sector and (ii) the private sector in each area covered by a sector skills council in the most recent year for which figures are available.

David Lammy: Information about the number of public and private sector apprenticeship starts and completions within each sector skill area is not centrally available. We emphasised in World-class Apprenticeships our commitment to improve the quality and availability of information about apprenticeships and increase the number of apprenticeships available in the public sector. This will be a priority for the National Apprenticeships Service which will be operational from April 2009.

Apprentices: Finance

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how much funding was allocated to Warrington Collegiate for apprenticeships in each of the last five years.

David Lammy: Information on Learning and Skills Council funding allocated to Warrington Collegiate for apprenticeships is provided in the following table. Data are only available from 2004-05.
	
		
			  Warrington Collegiate Apprenticeships funding allocation 
			  000 
			  Year  Age 16-18  Age 19+  Overall 
			 2004-05 497 132 629 
			 2005-08 712 135 847 
			 2006-07 888 227 1,094 
			 2007-08 922 277 1,199 
			  Source: Learning and Skills Council

Foreign Students: Syria

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of British students who visited Syria to study  (a) Arabic,  (b) Islamic Studies and  (c) any other academic course in each of the last 10 years; and what information he has on which institutions they attended.

Bill Rammell: Information on British students who go abroad to study is not available centrally.

Higher Education: Admissions

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what  (a) higher education institutions,  (b) further education institutions,  (c) schools and  (d) other organisations have received money under the Aimhigher Initiative.

Bill Rammell: In the academic year 2007-08, 75 million was allocated to the 43 area and nine regional Aimhigher partnerships.
	Partnerships draw up plans showing how they intend to use their allocations to benefit learners and to meet the aims of the Aimhigher programme. Funds are then distributed to schools, colleges, higher education institutions and other organisations via 'lead' higher education institutions (HEIs) and local authorities.
	Schools, colleges and 'lead' HEIs account for these funds through the accountability arrangements that apply to their individual sectors in respect of the public funds they receive. Information on which individual organisations receive Aimhigher funds from 'lead' HEIs and local authorities is not, however, held centrally, and can only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Higher Education: Admissions

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what recent assessment his Department has made of progress towards meeting the target of 50 per cent. participation in higher education by 2010.

Bill Rammell: In Higher Education at WorkHigh Skills: High Value we set out our long term vision that the UK should be a world leader on high level skills and in the upper quartile of OECD rankings by 2020. Consistent with that vision, we have set a long term primary target to increase the proportion of the workforce with high level skills from 31 per cent. now to over 40 per cent. by 2020. The target to increase participation in Higher Education towards 50 per cent. of those aged 18-30 with growth of at least a percentage point every two years to the academic year 2010-11 will support this and is measured by the higher education initial participation rate (HEIPR).
	We have known for a long time that student applications fell for 2006/07the first year of variable fees. We also know that they recovered strongly for 2007/08, to resume an upward trend. The fall in applications in 2006/07 has, unsurprisingly, caused the HEIPR for that year to fall to 40 per cent. We would expect to see an increase in the HEIPR for 2007/08 reflecting the 6 per cent. rise in student applicants from England for 2007/08 university entry compared to 2006/07.

Higher Education: Admissions

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many students resident in Enfield North constituency entered higher education in each of the last 10 years.

Bill Rammell: HEFCE's Young participation in higher education publication includes the proportion of young people who enter higher education at age 18 or 19 by parliamentary constituency, although this only covers the years up to 2000. Participation rates based on this work are given on the supporting POLAR website:
	www.hefce.ac.uk/polar
	The proportion of young people from Enfield North who entered higher education at age 18 or 19 is shown in the following table. Figures are shown under the year in which the cohort turned 18.
	
		
			  Table: Proportion of young people who entered higher education at  age 18 or 19 
			   1997  1998  1999  2000 
			 Percentage from Enfield North entering HE  aged 18 or 19 24 24 25 27 
			 Percentage from England entering HE aged 18 or 19 29 29 29 30 
			  Source: Young Participation in Higher Education, published by HEFCE

Higher Education: Finance

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills which university vice-chancellors have made representations to him on the 2009 funding review for higher education in the last 12 months.

Bill Rammell: We have received no representations from vice-chancellors on the subject of the independent review of the first three years of the new fee arrangements for full-time undergraduates, although the subject is occasionally touched on in discussions that Ministers have with a range of stakeholders.
	Our policy remains that there should be an independent review that makes recommendations for Parliament to consider. Ahead of that there are a number of pressing questions about what Government and universities should do over the next 10 to 15 years to ensure we have a world class system of higher education. It is on these questions that Government, universities and others should now focus.

Higher Education: Medicine

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills 
	(1)  what the retention rate for medical students  (a) undertaking courses leading to qualification as a doctor and  (b) on widening participation programmes undertaking courses leading to qualification as a doctor was in the last period for which figures are available;
	(2)  what proportion of medical students entering medical education courses for  (a) training leading to qualification as a doctor and  (b) training leading to qualification as a doctor under the widening participation schemes successfully qualified as doctors in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Bill Rammell: The most recent national figures for retention are from 2004-05. The proportion of young full-time first-degree entrants to medicine, dentistry and veterinary science courses who left by the end of the first year was 1.9 per cent.
	Data on medical completion are not held centrally.
	Several medical schools run schemes to encourage applications from bright students from disadvantaged or non-traditional backgrounds, but data on admissions, costs and student outcomes for these schemes are not collected centrally.

Higher Education: Medicine

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what estimate he has made of the average total cost of medical education per student leading to qualification as a doctor for  (a) a student on a conventional medical degree course and  (b) a student on an extended medical degree programme (EMDP) in the last period for which figures are available; how many students participate in the EMDP and other widening participation programmes; how much the EMDP and other widening participation programmes have cost; and what plans he has for the future of such schemes.

Bill Rammell: Several medical schools run schemes to encourage applications from bright students from disadvantaged or non-traditional backgrounds, but data on admissions, costs and student outcomes for these schemes are not collected centrally.
	The following table shows the notional Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) teaching grant associated with assumed full-time undergraduate medical students (in all years) for 2008-09. The grant is referred to as notional grant because HEFCE does not separately identify funding for medical students in institutions' grants. The sector average rate of notional HEFCE grant per full-time student from the attached table is 11,191.
	
		
			  2008-09 student numbers and notional teaching grant for medicine 
			  Institution  2008-09 full-time undergraduates  2008-09 notional grant 
			 University of Birmingham 1,817 20,151,941 
			 University of Bradford 135 747,012 
			 University of Brighton 307 3,377,264 
			 University of Bristol 1,117 12,377,504 
			 University of Cambridge 1,189 11,395,404 
			 University of Durham 190 1,054,607 
			 University of East Anglia 689 7,483,567 
			 University of Exeter 433 4,573,548 
			 University of Hull 297 3,237,002 
			 Imperial College 1,826 20,462,840 
			 Keele University 533 5,409,641 
			 King's College London 1,984 23,849,948 
			 University of Leeds 1,155 12,722,607 
			 University of Leicester 1,050 11,828,459 
			 University of Liverpool 1,569 16,880,835 
			 University of Manchester 1,880 21,517,913 
			 University of Newcastle 1,507 17,318,101 
			 University of Nottingham 1,420 15,964,768 
			 University of Oxford 918 9,957,734 
			 University of Plymouth 464 4,824,451 
			 Queen Mary, University of London 1,468 17,758,252 
			 St. George's Hospital Medical School 1,190 14,256,791 
			 University of Sheffield 1,101 11,908,903 
			 University of Southampton 1,046 11,650,383 
			 University of Sussex 292 3,160,311 
			 University College London 1,625 20,194,701 
			 University of Warwick 623 7,428,530 
			 University of York 320 3,476,738 
			 Total 28,144 314,969,755 
			  Notes: 1. The 2008-09 notional grant includes notional mainstream teaching grant and targeted allocations (excluding widening participation). 2. Institutions may also receive income for medical students through tuition fees and Department of Health sources. Medical students may also contribute towards other formulaic HEFCE allocations such as for capital grants. 3. Institutions receive a block grant from HEFCE and do not necessarily distribute funding in the same way it has been calculated. 4. The student numbers for clinical and pre-clinical medicine have been taken from institutions' 'Higher Education Students Early Statistics (HESES) Survey' for 2007-08 plus any additional student numbers for medicine for 2008-09. 5. The student numbers are for full-time undergraduates only and are fundable by HEFCE; part-time, postgraduate taught and non-fundable students are excluded.

Local Education Authorities: Discrimination

Derek Conway: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what guidance his Department has provided to local education authorities on the effects of the Age Discrimination Regulations 2006 on their funding arrangements for further education.

Bill Rammell: The Government are committed to ensuring equal opportunities for all learners, and that learning serves the needs of the whole community, including older people both within and outside the work force. Our strategy for World Class Skills and our reforms of wider adult learning are designed to ensure that everyone, whatever their age or background, has the opportunity to improve their skills, prospects and quality of life.
	The Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006 provide protection from discrimination on the grounds of age in the area of employment and vocational training. They mean that further education and training providers are not allowed to set age limits for access to training unless they can show objective justification why there is a real need to apply such limits. The Government have decided that all courses at further and higher education institutions are covered by the age regulations, whether they are specifically vocational or more general in nature. This ensures that there is a unified and consistent approach to age-related practices and policies in relation to all such provision.
	I must stress that the legislation does not bar providers from offering fee discounts. Many colleges and other providers have longstanding, formal, informal and discretionary arrangements based on age when deciding eligibility for fee concessions. These are entirely at the discretion and cost of individual providers.
	My Department has not issued guidance to local education authorities on the effects of the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006 because it would not be appropriate to do so. I refer the hon. Member to my written statement on 16 May 2007,  Official Report, column 35WS:
	Guidance on the vocational training aspects of the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations is available on the DTI website. It is aimed at, amongst others, providers of further and adult education. The guidance makes it clear that age related practices, such as age related fee concessions, may be objectively justified where they are a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim. It is for providers to produce evidence of such objective justification if called upon to do so, or to take their own legal advice if necessary. Guidance on objective justification is also available on page 30 of the ACAS guidance on the Age Regulations.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Afghanistan: Overseas Aid

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much rail track has been laid in Helmand Province, Afghanistan since the 2001 invasion.

Douglas Alexander: holding answer 2 June 2008
	According to information obtained from the Ministry for Transport and Aviation and the Governor of Helmand there has been no rail track laid in Helmand since 2001.

Burma: Overseas Aid

Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of his Department's annual budget for aid to Burma for 2008-09 has been allocated to  (a) the United Nations,  (b) international non-governmental organisations and  (c) Burmese aid organisations.

Douglas Alexander: Based on current commitments and projections, the 12 million budgeted by DFID for Burma in 2008-09, excluding cyclone assistance, will be channelled as follows:
	United Nations: 35 per cent.
	International non-governmental organisations: 43 per cent.
	Burmese aid organisations: 22 per cent.
	Where money is channelled through United Nations programmes, such as the Three Diseases Fund and UNICEF's multi-donor education support, for delivery by international and local non-governmental organisations, it is included in the percentages for the non-governmental organisations rather than for the United Nations.

Burma: Storms

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps he has taken to seek to ensure that Government aid reaches those for whom it is intended in Burma.

Douglas Alexander: All the aid delivered to Burma via UK transport has been consigned directly to international non-governmental organisations (NGOs) or to the United Nations (UN). On arrival, it is met by DFID staff and transferred directly to the UN or international NGOs for storage and onward distribution. No UK relief items have been given to the government or the armed forces. The organisations receiving UK relief supplies have their own logistical arrangements to deliver supplies to communities affected by the cyclone, and to monitor their use. DFID logistics staff assessed their logistical capacity, and continue to monitor progress with distribution. We have a monitoring strategy in place involving field visits by Burmese and UK-based DFID staff.

Burma: Storms

Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the territorial extent of the agreement with the Government of Burma on distribution of aid to alleviate the effects of Cyclone Nargis is.

Douglas Alexander: On 23 May, the Burmese Government told the United Nations Secretary General that it would lift barriers to access by international aid workers to areas of Burma affected by Cyclone Nargis. At the donor conference convened by United Nations and ASEAN on 25 May, the Burmese Government confirmed that all genuine international aid workers would be permitted necessary access to the affected region. The Burmese Government further agreed that aid delivered by civilian means would be accepted from all quarters provided no strings are attached and no politicisation is involved.
	Since the conference, there has been some improvement in access to the affected areas. The Burmese authorities have eased their visa regime and have granted some travel permits for international aid workers, including DFID staff, to visit the Irrawaddy Delta. However, much more still needs to be done by the Burmese Government to broaden access and accelerate the flow of aid.

Burma: Storms

Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps he has taken to ensure that aid delivered to Burma via UK transport is not appropriated by Burmese armed forces.

Douglas Alexander: All the aid delivered to Burma via UK transport has been consigned directly to international non-governmental organisations (NGOs) or to the United Nations (UN). On arrival, it is met by DFID staff and transferred directly to the UN or international NGOs for storage and onward distribution. No UK relief items have been given to the Burmese government or the armed forces. The organisations receiving UK relief supplies have their own logistical arrangements to deliver supplies to communities affected by the cyclone, and to monitor their use. DFID logistics staff assessed their logistical capacity, and continue to monitor progress with distribution. We have a monitoring strategy in place involving field visits by Burmese and UK-based DFID staff.

Departmental Computers

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether he has issued guidance to staff in his Department to switch off personal computers when not in use; and if he will make a statement.

Shahid Malik: Within the Department for International Development (DFID) we have used our intranet to publicise the need for staff to take a degree of personal responsibility towards meeting our energy efficiency targets. This includes messages on the need to switch off electrical equipment such as personal computers, screens, printers and phone chargers when not in use. We have also put 'switch-off' reminder stickers on many items of equipment, and display, in various locations throughout the offices, posters on energy efficiency as provided by the Carbon Trust. We have also made it a responsibility of our security staff to check and where appropriate switch off unused electrical items whilst carrying out their patrols.

Developing Countries: HIV Infection

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when his Department plans to publish an updated version of Taking Action-The UK's strategy for tackling HIV and AIDS in the developing world; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: A written ministerial statement was made in the House of Commons on 2 June,  Official Report, columns 42-43WS, and a copy of the updated strategy 'Achieving Universal Accessthe UK's Strategy for halting and reversing the spread of HIV in the developing world' and supporting evidence paper have been placed in the Libraries of both houses. These are also available on the Department for International Development (DFID) website:
	www.dfid.gov.uk.

Fair Trade Initiative

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 6 February 2008,  Official Report, column 1175W, on the Fairtrade initiative, what Fairtrade products are  (a) available for purchase at his Department's staff catering facilities and  (b) offered at official departmental meetings and engagements.

Gareth Thomas: The following Fairtrade items are available for purchase in my Department's UK staff restaurants:
	Tea
	Coffee
	Hot chocolate
	Confectionery
	Bananas
	Fruit juice
	Water when available.
	Of the above, tea, coffee, and fruit juice are available for official meetings and engagements, and we also provide fair trade sugar. Bottled Fairtrade water was also provided prior to 2008, but since then no bottled water, Fairtrade or otherwise, is purchased, as we now use filtered tap water at all meetings.

Fair Trade Initiative

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 6 February 2008,  Official Report, column 1175W, on the Fairtrade initiative, what the value was of Fairtrade produce purchased at his Department's staff catering facilities in each of the last three financial years; and what proportion of total revenue this represented.

Gareth Thomas: Our contract caterer does not maintain detailed records of Fairtrade purchases. However, as all our tea and coffee sales are Fairtrade, we estimate that this is approximately 110,000 pa, or 30 per cent. of the value of the total sales.

Food Waste

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much food waste his Department generated in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Shahid Malik: The Department for International Development (DFID) does not separately measure food waste as it represents, by volume, an extremely small proportion of our overall waste.
	DFID remains committed to the government sustainable operations targets on waste. The latest (2007) report by the Sustainable Development Commission confirmed that we had made excellent progress already in reducing the overall volume of waste produced since 2004-05, with a 9.6 per cent. reduction over this period, against the target of 5 per cent. by 2010.

JUSTICE

Bail Accommodation and Support Service: Weston-Super-Mare

John Penrose: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will investigate whether ClearSprings complied with their obligations to consult local stakeholders before setting up a new bail hostel in Weston-Super-Mare.

David Hanson: I have investigated ClearSprings consultation with stakeholders in Weston-Super-Mare. ClearSprings wrote to Avon and Somerset police on 13 June 2007 and have had subsequent meetings with officers. ClearSprings wrote to North Somerset district council on 6 August 2007 and again on 29 March 2008 and are still seeking a response. Avon and Somerset probation was contacted by email on 3 February 2008 and subsequent meetings have taken place. Accommodation provided by ClearSprings under the Bail and Accommodation Support Service is residential housing, not bail hostels.

Cognitive Self-Change Programme

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisons in the high security estate provide the Cognitive Self-Change Programme.

Maria Eagle: One. HMP Long Lartin.

Departmental Computers

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether he has issued guidance to staff in his Department to switch off personal computers when not in use; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: Guidance has been issued to all staff in the Ministry of Justice's headquarters, HM Prisons Service, HM Courts Service and Tribunals Service asking for personal computers to be switched off when not in use. For those members of staff unable to do so due to technical reasons, revised guidance has been issued asking them to switch off printers and monitors.

Life Imprisonment

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many and what proportion of defendants sentenced to life imprisonment spent more than one year in local prisons immediately after sentence without  (a) a structured sentence plan and  (b) access to relevant rehabilitation courses in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

David Hanson: Information on the numbers of all life sentence prisoners held for more than one year in local prisons without a structured sentence plan or access to relevant rehabilitation course is not available. To provide the information requested would require manual checking of individual records which could be carried out only at disproportionate cost.

Life Imprisonment

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what guidance he issues for prison service staff at all grades working with life sentenced prisoners who continue to deny having committed their offences.

David Hanson: Guidance on the management of life sentence prisoners who deny their guilt is contained in Chapter 7 of Prison Service Order 4700, a copy of which can be found in the House of Commons Library. As with all life sentence prisoners, those who deny their guilt will be released only when the Parole Board considers that it is safe to do so.

Life Imprisonment

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many offending behaviour specialists are employed by his Department to work on issues relating to life-sentenced prisoners; and in which agencies, establishments or other units they are based.

David Hanson: A broad range of multi-disciplinary staff work with prisoners in relation to their offending behaviour. This is often part of other duties and not limited to one group of prisoners. Therefore the requested information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost by evaluating the jobs of all those involved at 142 establishments across England and Wales. The staff are primarily based in establishments, probation areas, and in headquarters groups in the Ministry of Justice supporting delivery.

Life Imprisonment: Education

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what courses designed specifically for life sentenced prisoners are available to life sentenced prisoners held in local prisons for  (a) under 12 months,  (b) between 12 and 24 months and  (c) between 24 and 48 months.

David Hanson: There are no specific accredited offending behaviour programmes targeted directly at life sentenced prisoners. Whether a prisoner requires a programme, and if so, which one, will depend upon the assessment of their risks and need rather than an individual's sentence. The National Offender Management Service offers a range of accredited programmes for offenders based on their specific behavioural needs as well as other regime activities such as education, work, and training. The timing and sequencing of interventions will depend on the needs of the individual concerned and the establishment.
	If a course is needed and cannot be undertaken in an establishment, offenders are moved to establishments where their offending behaviour needs can be addressed.

Life Imprisonment: Education

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of prisoners serving life sentences in  (a) HMP Belmarsh,  (b) HMP Wakefield and  (c) HMP Whitemoor were engaged in education programmes in each of the last 48 months for which figures are available; and what the average number of hours per day spent by each prisoner in such programmes was.

Maria Eagle: To provide information in such detail would require each prison undertaking extensive research, some involving prisoners who by now would have been transferred elsewhere. The information is therefore not available in the form requested and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Life Imprisonment: Prison Accomodation

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average time served by life sentenced prisoners in  (a) category A and  (b) category B prisons prior to their transfer to open conditions was in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

David Hanson: Information on the transfer of prisoners within the prison estate, and the average time served in each prison establishment, is not held centrally and to collect it would require extensive manual inspection of records.

Life Imprisonment: Prisoners Release

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average period for imprisonment served by prisoners released during a life sentence was in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

David Hanson: Figures showing the average length of time served by all prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment in prison establishments in England and Wales in each year since 1997 can be found in the following table:
	
		
			  Table 10.5 Number of first releases from prison on life licence and average time served 
			  Year of first release  1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			  Total released 89 94 120 113 122 144 223 205 200 135 
			
			  Mandatory lifers   
			 Number 78 86 110 101 111 117 185 152 156 100 
			 Mean time served (years) 14 13 13 13 13 14 15 14 14 14 
			 Median time served (years) 14 13 12 12 13 13 14 13 13 13 
			  Other lifers   
			 Number 11 8 10 12 11 27 38 53 44 35 
			 Mean tine served (years) 14 14 16 11 9 9 12 9 6 7 
			 Median time served (years) 13 14 15 10 10 5 10 6 6 6 
		
	
	This table can be found in the publication Offender Management Caseload Statistics 2006, a copy of which can be found in the House of Commons Library.
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Offences Against Children: Victim Support Schemes

Si�n James: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps he plans to take to ensure that victims of paedophiles have access to ongoing victim support services; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: As part of its 37 million annual grant from the Office for Criminal Justice Reform, Victim Support provides emotional and practical support for over 1.4 million victims of crime a year, including support for child victims of sexual offences aged 13 and over. For child victims aged 12 and under, Victim Support refers them to specialist support organisations. Clinically-accredited counselling can be commissioned by Victim Support as part of the support service it provides to child victims.
	Over the last four years, specialist support organisations for victims of crime have been granted a total of 6.5 million from the Victims Fund. The primary focus of the fund has been on support services for victims of sexual violence and childhood sexual abuse.
	In addition, the Cross Government Action Plan on Sexual Violence and Abuse included increasing access to support and health services as one of its key objectives and specifically committed to increasing access to services for victims of childhood sexual abuse.

Prisoners: Education

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisons in the high security estate provide support for prisoners who have been assessed as requiring help with managing personal finances.

Maria Eagle: There is currently no formal provision in high security prisons to assist prisoners in the management of personal finance.

Prisoners: Rehabilitation

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what percentage of prisoners in the high security estate with employment, training or education needs have an appropriate intervention planned for them; and what plans he has to increase this figure.

Maria Eagle: There are about 6,000 prisoners in the high security estate. The needs of every prisoner placed in the high security estate are assessed and matched with appropriate courses. The high security estate has about 90 employment interventions and 220 training and/or education interventions. The information requested is not recorded and would require examining the records of 6,000 prisoners and collating the information and would involve disproportionate costs. However, the aim is to ensure prisoners always receive appropriate interventions.

Prisons

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the attendance rate has been of offender managers at sentence planning meetings in each of the eight high security estate prisons over the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Maria Eagle: No central information is available about offender manager (OM) attendance at sentence planning meetings. Local monitoring by the eight individual high security establishments indicates that between November 2007 and April 2008 attendance and participation has varied between nearly 30 per cent. and 90 per cent.
	The offender manager does not always have to attend in person at each sentence planning event. Some key sentence planning meetings require the management of the OM, others can be guided by the OM but managed on the day by the prison offender supervisor.

Prisons: Drugs

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he plans to publish the  (a) evidence received by and  (b) findings and recommendations of the Blakey review of the effectiveness of measures to disrupt the supply of illicit drugs into prison.

David Hanson: David Blakey has submitted his report and the director general of the National Offender Management Service is considering its conclusions and recommendations. An announcement on publication will be made shortly.

Terrorism: Prosecutions

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many and what proportion of entries made without warrant under anti-terrorism laws have resulted in a prosecution in each year since 2000.

Jack Straw: The Home Office, Ministry of Justice and Attorney General's Office are currently working with the National Co-ordinator for Terrorist Investigations to improve the quality of data relating to those arrested, charged and convicted under terrorist legislation and under other legislation but following a terrorist investigation. As soon as this is complete a statistical bulletin to cover information on arrests and convictions will be published. Statistics on entries made without warrant under anti-terrorism laws are not currently held centrally, however, they are being considered for incorporation into the future publication.

Tribunals Service: Internet

Philip Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what plans his Department has to enable the public to access judgements of the Tribunals Service on-line.

Bridget Prentice: The Tribunals Service encourages the on-line publication of tribunal decisions where it is considered appropriate to do so. 15 Tribunals already publish some decisions on-line. It is likely that the remaining tribunals will follow suit in due course. There will, however, remain a small number of tribunals that cannot publish decisions on-line for legal or sensitive reasons. These include: Gender Recognition Panel (GRP); General Commissioners of Income Tax (GCIT); Mental Health Review Tribunal (MHRT); and Social Security and Child Support Appeals (SSCSA).

Young Offenders: Reoffenders

Nick Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the reoffending rate was for young offenders who had served a community sentence in the latest period for which figures are available.

David Hanson: The following table shows the one-year proven re-offending rates for young offenders commencing a community sentence in the first quarter of 2005. Young offenders have been defined as juveniles (aged 10 to 17) and young adults (aged 18 to 20). Comparisons should not be made between the re-offending rates for 10 to 17 and 18 to 20-year-olds because of the different way re-offending rates are calculated for these age groups. A re-offence committed by a 10 to 17-year-old is included if it is proven by either a pre-court disposal or a conviction at court, whereas a re-offence committed by an 18 to 20-year-old is only included if it is proven by a conviction at court.
	
		
			  Age  Frequency  rate  (per 100 offenders)  Severity rate  (per 100 offenders)  Actual  (yes/no) re-offending rate  (percentage) 
			 10 to 17 298.2 2.1 67.2 
			 18 to 20 182.9 1.2 47.3

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Members: Disclosure of Information

Julian Lewis: To ask the Leader of the House pursuant to her statement of 22 May 2008,  Official Report, column 399, on publication of hon. Members' addresses, what assessment she has made of the effect on the  (a) personal safety and  (b) ability to speak on controversial issues of hon. and right hon. Members if their home addresses are published and accessible; whether she has (i) sought and (ii) received security advice on the implications of such publication for the safety of right hon. and hon. Members, their families and neighbours; and if she will make a statement.

Harriet Harman: As I explained to the House during business questions on 5 June 2008,  Official Report, column 925:
	I know that there is concern in all parts of the House about two aspects of this matter. The first is the personal security of Members. The second, which I consider even more important, is the need for Members to feel absolutely confident that they can speak in the House on difficult issues without fearing that, when they leave the Chamber having spoken about what they believe in, they will have to look over their shoulders because their addresses are in the public domain. In that regard, the House authorities are seeking legal advice on whether or not the Freedom of Information Act provides an opportunity for the House to defend Members' right to speak without having to look over their shoulders thereafter.
	The Members Estimate Committee has taken advice from a number of sources, including on security matters. It is not the practice to disclose the source or nature of such advice. However, it needs to be borne in mind that, in the case of the fourteen Members and ex-Members for whom detailed information about allowances claims was recently released, the relevant Information Tribunal and High Court decisions allowed the redaction of home addresses where a Member had a special security reason for keeping the address of his or her home confidential.

TRANSPORT

Intercity Express Programme

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many new carriages there will be under the Intercity Express Programme; whether bids have been received in accordance with the original bid date; and how many companies and consortia have tendered.

Tom Harris: The current proposition is for approximately 1,000 new vehicles, with options to extend this deployment to over 1,500 vehicles. The final number will depend on the cost and value for money of the proposals from the two consortia bidders when these are submitted on 30 June.

Motorways: Repairs and Maintenance

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which 12 motorway sites identified as a high priority for resurfacing were resurfaced between 2004 and 2008; which four sites are planned to be resurfaced before the end of 2010-11; and which 10 sites are due to be resurfaced after 2010-11.

Tom Harris: The sites identified as high priority for resurfacing or due for resurfacing are:
	
		
			  (a) 2004-08 
			  Site Reference  Road Section 
			 2 M1 Junctions 5-8 
			 3 M6 Junction 12 - Penkridge 
			 8 M60 Junctions 1-2 
			 15 A27 Chichester to Havant 
			 17 A34 Peartree - Weston 
			 18 A47 East Dereham: (Seaming Fen - East Dereham) 
			 21 A1 Balderton - Coddington 
			 22 A1 North Muskham - Carlton on Trent 
			 23 M5 Junctions 26-27 Contract 3 
			 24 M42 Junctions 9 10 
			 25 M69 Junction 2 - M1 Contract 1 
			 26 M62 Junctions 37-38 
		
	
	
		
			  (b) 2008-09-2010-11 
			  Site Reference  Road Section 
			 7 M27 Junctions 5-7 
			 10 A11:B1172toA47 
			 11 A12 Ingateston - Margaretting 
			 12 A12 Hatfield Peverel - Witham 
		
	
	
		
			  (c) After 2010-11 
			  Site Reference  Road Section 
			 1 M1 -A1 Link 
			 4 M20 Junction 1 / M25 J3 
			 5 M20 Junctions 8-9 
			 6 M25 Junctions 9- 10 
			 9 A5 Milton Keynes (A422-A508) 
			 13 A13:A1306toM25J30 
			 14 A14 Claydon - B1067 underbridge 
			 16 A30 Honiton to Exeter 
			 19 A50: Doveridge Bypass 
			 20 A419/A417 Cirencester and Latton Bypasses

Railway Stations

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many stations on the national rail network are unstaffed  (a) after 18.00 hours,  (b) at the weekend and  (c) outside morning and evening peak periods.

Tom Harris: The Department does not hold this information. Staffing levels at railway stations is a matter either for Network Rail at its managed stations or for the relevant train operating company at the franchised stations.

Railway Stations: Crimes of Violence

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many prosecutions were brought following assaults on railway station staff in  (a) 2004,  (b) 2005,  (c) 2006,  (d) 2007 and  (e) 2008.

Tom Harris: This information is not held by the Department for Transport but by the British Transport Police who can be contacted at: British Transport Police, 25 Camden Road, London NW1 9LN, e-mail:
	parliament@btp.pnn.police.uk.

Railway Stations: Leeds

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans her Department has to re-open urban rail stations in the Leeds metropolitan district area; and if she will make a statement.

Tom Harris: The Department for Transport has no plans to re-open stations in the Leeds metropolitan district area. The Passenger Transport Executive (Metro) may sponsor station re-openings, and they are currently investigating proposals to open new stations at Kirkstall Forge and Apperley Bridge

Rolling Stock: Costs

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average cost of Pendolino trains per carriage was in 2000; and what expected cost per carriage was used in the high level output statement for planned purchases of Pendolino trains.

Tom Harris: holding answer 4 June 2008
	Costs in relation to high level output statement schemes are commercially sensitive pending ongoing negotiations. Costs dating back to 2000 were a matter for the franchisee and leasing company. The Department was not directly involved on this transaction.

Rolling Stock: Procurement

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she expects the first new inter-city express programme carriages to be  (a) ordered,  (b) delivered and  (c) brought into service.

Tom Harris: The initial order for IEP trains is expected to be placed in summer 2009. The first pre-series trains are scheduled to be tested on the East Coast Main Line in 2013, with the first fleet deployed into passenger service from 2015.

Rolling Stock: Procurement

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether 1,300 new carriages are still expected to be produced under the high level output statement; and whether any of those carriages will be cascaded from other operators.

Tom Harris: The position is that set out in the Rolling Stock plan, issued on 30 January 2008 and available on the Department's website at
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/pi/rollingstock/rollingstockplan
	which noted that accommodating the HLOS demand was likely to require around 1,300 additional carriages for English franchises by 2014.
	The additional capacity will be secured through the procurement of new rolling stock; the procurement of the 1,300 carriages will result in a cascade of existing vehicles which are displaced by new. The 1,300 carriages will be a net addition to the existing fleet.

Thameslink: Rolling Stock

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many of the announced new Thameslink carriages have been ordered.

Tom Harris: On 9 April 2008 the Secretary of State announced the start of a procurement exercise for the provision of between 900 and 1,300 new carriages for use on the Thameslink programme. It is currently expected that the formal contract to order these new carriages will be signed in summer 2009 with the first new carriages being introduced in to service in early 2012.

TREASURY

Belize Bank

Denis MacShane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from the government of Belize concerning the activities of the Belize Bank in the UK.

Kitty Ussher: No representations have been made by the Government of Belize concerning the activities of the Belize Bank in the UK to HM Treasury or the Financial Services Authority.

Debts

David Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average  (a) gross debt and  (b) gross savings (excluding debt secured on housing) was by (i) 20, (ii) 25, (iii) 30, (iv) 35, (v) 40, (vi) 45, (vii) 50, (viii) 55, (ix) 60, (x) 65 and (xi) over 65 years olds in (A) 1980, (B) 1985, (C) 1990, (D) 1995, (E) 2000, (F) 2005 and (G) 2007, broken down by sex.

Angela Eagle: Data on gross debt and gross savings are published by the Office for National Statistics on a quarterly and annual basis. However, these data are not disaggregated by age.

Departmental Data Protection

Michael Penning: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many times his Department was held in breach of the Data Protection Act 1998 in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: The Treasury has had no data protection breaches.

Departmental Equality

Theresa May: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his Department met the Civil Service diversity targets set out on page 51 of the Cabinet Office Annual Report 2007 by April 2008.

Angela Eagle: The latest published statistics against overall civil service targets were at October 2007, and are available on the civil service website at:
	http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/about/diversity/monitoring.asp
	The final measurement against the targets will be published in autumn 2008.
	The latest published statistics on the Treasury's progress against the targets, as at October 2007, are available on the Treasury's external website at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/about/about_equality.cfm

Departmental Manpower

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what proportion of his Department's employees are  (a) male,  (b) female,  (c) from an ethnic minority,  (d) disabled and  (e) not heterosexual; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: The figures in the following table are consistent with the data for 30 September 2007 published on the HM Treasury website. A further break down and analysis of the figures can be found on the website:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/about/about_equality.cfm
	
		
			  Figures as at 30 September 2007 
			   Total number  Percentage 
			 Male 646 55 
			 Female 518 45 
			 Ethnic minority 182 16 
			 Disabled 52 4 
		
	
	With regard to  (e), the Treasury extended its diversity monitoring processes in September 2007, to collect data on employees who are not heterosexual. It expects to have robust data on what proportion of employees are not heterosexual by April 2009.

Departmental Pay

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what proportion of employees in his Department who received a performance-related bonus at their last appraisal were  (a) male,  (b) female,  (c) from an ethnic minority,  (d) disabled and  (e) not heterosexual; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: The information provided is for the performance year 2006-07.
	
		
			  Below SCS  Number who received performance bonus  Percentage who received performance bonus 
			 Male 211 41 
			 Female 172 41 
			 Ethnic Minority 51 32 
			 Disabled 10 27 
		
	
	
		
			  SCS  Number who received performance bonus  Percentage who received performance bonus 
			 Male 39 65 
			 Female 20 50 
		
	
	Ethnic minority and disability for SCS is not reported for performance statistics as the numbers are too small to be meaningful.
	The Treasury extended its diversity monitoring processes, in September 2007, to collect data on employees who are not heterosexual and expects to have data, by July 2009, on what proportion of employees who received a performance-related bonus at their last appraisal were not heterosexual.

Departmental Public Participation

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department spent on  (a) written consultations,  (b) consultation roadshows and  (c) stakeholder focus groups in each of the last three years.

Angela Eagle: I refer to the answer I gave on 21 November 2007,  Official Report, column 917W to the hon. Member for Arundel and South Downs (Mr. Herbert).

Excise Duties: Motor Vehicles

Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what meetings were held between Ministers and officials with third-party interest groups on the subject of changes to the system of vehicle excise duty prior to the 2008 Budget.

Angela Eagle: Prior to Budget 2008, vehicle excise duty was discussed at many meetings between Ministers and officials, and relevant stakeholders.
	The Chancellor considered carefully all representations when forming his Budget decision on vehicle excise duty rates.

Housing: Finance

David Willetts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average  (a) housing wealth and  (b) debt secured on housing was by owner-occupiers aged (i) 20, (ii) 25, (iii) 30, (iv) 35, (v) 40, (vi) 45, (vii) 50, (viii) 55, (ix) 60, (x) 65 and (xi) over 65 years old in (A) 1980, (B) 1985, (C) 1990, (D) 1995, (E) 2000, (F) 2005 and (G) 2007.

Angela Eagle: Data on housing wealth and debt secured on housing are published by the Office for National Statistics on a quarterly and annual basis. However, these data are not disaggregated by age and gender.

Inheritance Tax

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions a transfer of estate from a deceased to a surviving spouse incurring nil inheritance tax occurred in each of the last 10 years; and what the average length of the preceding marriage was in each year.

Jane Kennedy: The table shows the estimated number of estates above the inheritance tax threshold in force at the time where a transfer of some or all of the estate was free of tax as a result of spouse relief:
	
		
			  Year of death  Estates 
			 1995-96 11,800 
			 1996-97 8,900 
			 1997-98 9,000 
			 1998-99 9,800 
			 1999-2000 11,400 
			 2000-01 12,300 
			 2001-02 13,300 
			 2002-03 14,500 
			 2003-04 15,900 
			 2004-05 16,200 
		
	
	Information on transfers to spouses from estates below the threshold and lengths of marriages is not available.

Mortgages

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of recent trends in the mortgage and re-mortgaging market and their effects on the housing market and the wider economy.

Angela Eagle: The Government last published its assessment of economic prospects in Financial Statement and Budget Report (HC388) 2008, on 12 March, based on all relevant factors. The Government are taking steps to ensure that the effects of the global financial disruption are minimised, and borrowers are treated fairly during this period.

Northern Rock

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total loan to Northern Rock from the Treasury, replacing Bank of England loan, was in 2007-08; what total repayments were made in 2007-08; what the net loans were in 2007-08; and what the range of loan interest rates applying to such loans are.

Kitty Ussher: As reported in Northern Rock's audited accounts for 2007 published on 31 March 2008 and its latest trading statement of 12 May 2008, the outstanding loan due to the Bank of England has been reduced from 26.9 billion as of 31 December 2007 to 24.1 billion at 31 March 2008.
	As set out in Budget 2008, the Government will, during 2008-09, replace the Bank of England's loan to Northern Rock with direct Treasury funding.
	The Bank of England provides the loan at an interest rate premium, ensuring that the company does not receive a commercial advantage.

Sports: Finance

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the findings and recommendations of the cross-Government Physical Activity Review have been finalised; and if he will publish them.

Yvette Cooper: In the context of the Government's commitments to deliver on the Comprehensive Spending Review, Olympics and Olympic Legacy, and provide a world-class community sports infrastructure, a number of government departments are considering the most efficient and effective way of maximising the impact of investment in sport and physical activity. Findings of this work will be integrated into a number of forthcoming announcements.

Taxation: Bingo

Adam Holloway: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much tax was collected from the bingo industry in each year since 2003; and what the contribution of  (a) income tax and  (b) national insurance was.

Angela Eagle: Revenues from gambling taxes are published in the HM Revenue and Customs Betting, Gaming and Lottery Duties Bulletin, available at
	http://www.uktradeinfo.com/index.cfm?task=bullbett.
	Information is not available on the other taxes paid by the bingo industry.

WOMEN AND EQUALITY

Government Equalities Office: Pay

Mark Hoban: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what the hourly rates of pay of all non-permanent staff working for the Government Equalities Office were in each month since it was established; and how many staff were receiving each rate in each of those months.

Barbara Follett: The Government Equalities Office was established as a separate department on 12 October 2007. The rates paid to non-permanent staff since then and the numbers earning those rates are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Hourly rate  ()  October 2007  November 2007  December 2007  January 2008  February 2008  March 2008  April 2008 
			 11.26 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 
			 13.10 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 
			 14.55 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 
			 14.79 1 2 2 1 2 1 0 
			 16.41 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 
			 16.93 0 0 0 2 3 2 3 
			 18.88 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 
			 20.26 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 
			 21.35 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 
			 35.84 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 
			 49.00 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 
			 76.39 0 0 0 1 1 1 1

WORK AND PENSIONS

Child Support Agency

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people are registered with the Child Support Agency on its (a) old filing system and (b) new filing system.

James Plaskitt: holding answer 13 May 2008
	The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 6 June 2008:
	In reply to your recent parliamentary question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people are registered with the Child Support Agency on its  (a) old filing system and  (b) new filing system.
	The Child Support Agency manages both the old and new schemes of child maintenance on two separate computer systems; the old child support computer system (CSCS) which has been in place since the introduction of the Agency in 1993, and the new child support computer system (CS2) which was introduced to support the reforms in 2003.
	At the end of March 2008, the Agency had a total of 1,361,900 live old and new child maintenance scheme cases registered on both the old and new computer systems. Of these, 683,000 were live new child maintenance scheme cases and 252,300 were live old child maintenance scheme cases registered on the new computer system (CS2). In addition 426,600 live old scheme cases were registered on the old computer system (CSCS).
	Further information on the number of cases being handled by the Child Support Agency, broken down by old and new scheme is regularly published in Table 1 of the Child Support Agency's Quarterly Summary of Statistics (QSS). The latest copy of which is available in the House of Commons library or online at:
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/child_support/csa_quarterly_mar08.asp.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.

Departmental Carbon Emissions

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department spent on carbon offsetting in each of the last three years; and to which companies payments for carbon offsetting have been made in each such year.

Anne McGuire: The Department for Work and Pensions is a member of the Government Carbon Offsetting Fund (GCOF). The GCOF aims to fulfil the Government's commitment to offset emissions attributable to all official and ministerial air travel in central Government. The GCOF runs for an initial period of three years (2006-07, 2007-08, and 2008-09).
	The GCOF is being managed by EEA Fund Management Ltd, who won the contract to source and deliver 255,000 certified emission reduction credits, with a provision for a further 50,000 credits, over three years from a range of clean development mechanism (CDM) projects. Credits will be supplied from the project portfolio of Trading Emissions Plc, to whom EEA is the investment adviser.
	The amount paid by the Department for Work and Pensions to the GCOF for the last two complete years is shown in the following table. DWP was not required to contribute for year 2005-06.
	
		
			   
			   2006-07  2007-08 
			 Short Haul Flights 34,343.83 40,572.14 
			 Long Haul Flights 3,501.91 2,757.59 
			 Total 37,845.74 43,329.73

National Insurance

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 9 May 2008,  Official Report, column 44WS, on national insurance numbers, how many applicants for national insurance numbers have been refused national insurance numbers following right to work interviews since their inception in 2006.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 16 May 2008
	Management information shows that, since their inception in July 2006 and up to 30 April 2008, 11,301 applicants for national insurance numbers have had their application refused as a result of the right to work interview.

Social Security Benefits: Complaints

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many complaints about  (a) non-receipt and  (b) loss of benefit payments have been received by his Department in the last six months for which the information is available.

James Plaskitt: The information is not collected centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Social Security Benefits: Fraud

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how much his Department spent on introducing voice risk analysis technology in its call centres in  (a) 2006-07 and  (b) 2007-08; and what the projected expenditure is for 2008-09;
	(2)  how much his Department spent on  (a) training and  (b) recruitment of call centre operators to use voice risk analysis technology in its call centres in (i) 2006-07 and (ii) 2007-08; and what the projected expenditure is for 2008-09;
	(3)  what estimate his Department has made of the effect on levels of benefit fraud of the use of voice risk analysis technology in each pilot area;
	(4)  how much funding has been allocated to each of the seven pilot areas that have trialled voice risk analysis technology; and what proportion of this funding has been administered by Capita.

James Plaskitt: holding answer 13 May 2008
	The first year of expenditure on voice risk analysis by Department for Work and Pensions was 2007-08 during which we spent 700,333. This was made up of 460,000 paid directly to the local authorities piloting the technology, and 240,333 DWP expenditure.
	205,450 was spent on training; there were no recruitment costs.
	A further 1.5 million is to be made available to local authorities in 2008-09.
	Estimates of the effect on the levels of benefit fraud will be produced as part of the evaluation of initial and subsequent pilots.
	Funding allocation to the seven local authority pilot areas is shown in the following table; in all cases the funding was administered by the local authorities.
	
		
			  Voice risk analysis local authority pilot funding 2007-08 
			
			 London borough of Harrow 124,650 
			 Wealden district council 10,025 
			 Derwentside consortium: Chester-le-Street district council, Derwentside district council; Durham city council; Sedgefield borough council 72,145 
			 Warwickshire consortium: Coventry city council; North Warwickshire borough council; Nuneaton and Bedworth borough council; Rugby borough council; Warwick district council 56,000 
			 City of Edinburgh council 71,580 
			 London borough of Lambeth 62,800 
			 Birmingham city council 62,800

Social Security Benefits: Fraud

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many successful prosecutions have taken place for claiming benefits when out of the country on an extended absence since 1998.

James Plaskitt: The information is not available.

Social Security Benefits: Overseas Residence

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what benefits are not payable to UK citizens residing overseas; what the disqualifying period of residence is in each case; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: The following benefits are not payable to UK citizens who move permanently to reside overseas:
	income support;
	jobseeker's allowance;
	pension credit;
	housing benefit;
	council tax benefit.
	These benefits can, in certain circumstances, be paid for a limited period to people who are temporarily absent from the UK.
	UK citizens cease to be entitled to these benefits from the day after their departure or, if already temporarily absent from the country, from the date their absence becomes permanent.
	Disability living allowance, attendance allowance and carer's allowance are all residence-based benefits. In general, a customer is required to be ordinarily resident and present in the UK, to have been present for at least 26 out of the previous 52 weeks and not be subject to immigration control. There are some exceptions under domestic law and, following the European Court of Justice judgment C299/05, payment can be made under EC law to customers living in another European economic area (EEA) member state or Switzerland in certain circumstances.
	Maternity allowance and incapacity benefit are not payable to UK citizens who go to live in a country which is not part of the EEA or Switzerland, or in a country with which the UK does not have a bilateral social security agreement that provides for export of the benefit.

Social Security Benefits: Publications

Anne Begg: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of his Department's claim packs mention services provided by Citizens' Advice Bureaux.

Anne McGuire: The Department currently has 54 claim forms available to members of the public. Of these forms 29 either mention the services of the Citizens Advice Bureau or are accompanied by additional information, such as notes to aid the completion of the form, that mention the services they provide. This means that 53 per cent. of our claim forms mention the Citizens Advice Bureau.